VIP security by the book

A Defence Ministry circular on security for VIPs is to be strictly enforced with immediate effect to prevent the misuse of security personnel provided to them, Deputy Inspector General of Police Jayantha Wickremaratne said yesterday.

DIG Wickremaratne told a news conference that according to the circular a Minister will be provided with six Ministerial Security Division (MSD) personnel, a deputy minister provided five and an MP two personnel.

He said it has been revealed that presently most of the VIPs had been provided more security personnel than required with the result that some of them were being made use of for domestic work, including driving children to school and wives to do marketing.