The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) has defended the renovation of the official residence on Wijerama Mawatha, Colombo 7, which was allocated to former President Mahinda Rajapaksa in 2021, amid the country’s severe economic crisis.
Speaking on a TV programme, SLPP General Secretary Attorney-at-Law Sagara Kariyawasam said that the renovations, including the installation of an electric lift, were undertaken due to the former President’s health condition at the time.
The discussion arose after Kariyawasam was asked whether Rs. 519,238 million of public funds spent on the residence between 2021 and 2023 reflected a culture of waste during the Rajapaksa regime, especially when citizens were struggling with power outages, fuel shortages, and other hardships.
Responding, Kariyawasam said he did not view the expenditures as critically as suggested. He explained that the former President faced difficulty climbing stairs, and the renovations were carried out to address this need. He further clarified that the work was not done by private house repair staff but under government supervision, and the role of security forces in directing the renovations remains unclear.
Kariyawasam said that the matter should not be judged superficially and added that, had he been informed in advance of the questions, he could have explained the circumstances and reasons for the expenditures in greater detail.
