Government spent millions for overseas training on Yoshitha Rajapaksa

The government spent over Rs 22 million for four foreign training programs for Lieutenant Y.K. (Yoshitha) Rajapaksa, son of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa between 2007 and 2010, Parliament was told yesterday.

Three of the courses for naval training were in the UK while one was in Ukraine, Chief Government Whip Minister Gayantha Karunatillake said.

The foreign training programs were a Young Officers Course which LT Rajapaksa undertook between 1.1.2007 and 07.12.2007 in the UK on which Rs6, 284,219.25 was spent by the Government.

The other was an Onboard ships training course also in the UK  between 7.01.2008 to 15.05.2008 which cost Rs7,031,614.74 , a Sub Lieutenant technical Course between 15.05.2008-10.10.2008 in the UK that cost Rs5,333,667,07 while a Special Education Officer Course at the National Defence University in Ukraine which he undertook between 29.10.2009 to 31. 08.2010 cost Rs3, 573,317.06.

The Minister also said that the training that he the former President S son undertook in the Britannia Royal Navy College in Dartmouth in 2007 had been obtained exclusively for Lt Rajapaksa was not a scholarship granted by the British Government.
It was also revealed that Y.K.Rajapaksa did not have the prerequisite qualification to join the Sri Lanka Navy as an officer cadet even though he was recruited to the service.
 
While the requirement is for passes at the GCE Ordinary level  with six credit passes  in one sitting  in English, Sinhala, Mathematics, Science and Tamil, Lt.Rajapaksa had obtained these qualification by sitting for the OL s twice.
 
However despite lacking the basic requirements, the Defense Ministry has given approval for his recruitment.
 
Asked what the  specific reason to recruit him without the required qualification, Minister Karunatillake said “”At that tenure LT Y.K.Rajapaksa ‘s father was the President of Sri Lanka and considering the war scenario during the time, this officer  has been enlisted to the Sri Lanka Navy to encourage Sri Lankan youth to join forces.”