Millions given from President’s Fund to politicians - Govt. reveals

Chief Government Whip, Minister Nalinda Jayathissa today revealed details of payments made from the President's Fund to politicians from 2005 to 2024. 

According to details given by the minister, P. Harrison, Piyasena Gamage, Sumedha Jayasena, Manoj Sirisena, P. Dayaratne, S.C. Muthukumarana, Vasudewa Nanayakkara, Sarath Amunugama and S.B. Nawinna were among the politicians who had monies released to them from the President's Fund. 

"At least these names are quite clear. There are also some names in the list that were initially difficult to figure out," the minister claimed. One name, J.P.D.P.K. Jayasekara was listed as "Former MP, Kurunegala District." 

"There is only one such Jayasekara that we know and it has to be J.P. Dayasiri Padmakumara Jayasekara," Minister Jayathissa said. Another politician from the Kalutara district was H.M.P.N. De Silva. "There was no such name on the campaign trail but the name of Piyal Nishantha De Silva was there. That's the same person," said the minister. S.A.D.S. Premajayantha, whose address was listed in Nugegoda has been listed as "Colombo District MP" and was Susil Premajayantha. Another name on the list was E.A.I.D.D. Perera, who has been identified as former Western Province Chief Minister Isura Devapriya.

The minister also revealed details of more politicians who had monies allocated to them from the President's Fund along with how much had been granted to them:

S.A. Jagath Kumara - Rs. 1 million
K.P.S. Kumarasiri - Rs. 953, 430
Jayalath Jayawardena - Rs. 1 million
Namal Gunawardena - Rs. 1 million
Dharmadasa Banda - Rs. 1 million
Vidura Wickramanayake - Rs. 1.5 million
Wimalaweera Dissanayake - Rs. 3 million
Lucky Jayawardena - Rs. 1.6 million
P. Chandrasekaran - Rs. 1.4 million
John Amaratunga - Rs. 4 million
Joseph Michael Perera - Rs. 2.7 million
T.B. Ekanayake - Rs. 4.8 million 
W.M.S. Fonseka - Rs. 5.5 million 
Jayantha Weerasinghe - Rs. 9 million
Alek Aluwihare - Rs. 2.2 million
Ranjith Aluwihare - Rs. 860, 000
Rajitha Senaratne - Rs. 10 million
Keheliya Rambukwella - Rs. 11 million
M.K.A.D.S. Gunawardena - Rs. 12 million
Ranjith Zoysa - Rs. 18.8 million
D.M. Jayaratne - Rs. 30 million

While noting that some of the funding may have been allocated on medical grounds, the minister pointed out that the President's Fund Act lists four specific criteria for when monies can be approved from the Fund. These are - for the relief of poverty; for the advancement of education or knowledge, for the advancement of religion or the maintenance of religious rites and practices, or for other purpose, which in the opinion of the President and the Board of Governors of the Fund, is of benefit or interest to the public. He questioned whether the allocations to the politicians came under any of these categories. 

"We know how hard it is for poor people in the villages to get even Rs. 2, 3 or 4 lakhs approved from the President's Fund. But this is how money had been allocated from this Fund (for politicians)," he remarked. 

Pointing out that the President is the Head of the Board of Governors of the Fund, the minister noted that these funds to politicians had been approved during the tenures of former Presidents Mahinda Rajapaksa, Maithripala Sirisena, Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Ranil Wickremesinghe. "Parliament doesn't know about this, the people don't know about this, but this is what has been happening with the President's Fund," the chief government whip noted.