Reports regarding the President’s delegation to London are false: PMD

The President's Media Division (PMD) in a statement has raised concern over various false information circulating regarding the official  delegation that accompanied President Maithripala Sirisena at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in London recently.

The statement reads as follows :

"The President was accompanied by the President’s wife, the President’s official doctor, Minister Tilak Marapana and his wife, Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva, Language Interpreter and two officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Moreover, print and electronic media personnel of the President’s Media Division and journalists representing private  media institutions and few officers of President’s Security Division, who do not belong to the official delegation participated in this tour.

Despite that no person was included in the delegation under the expense of the Presidential Secretariat or attended the CHOGM or any meeting held simultaneously.

It was announced that, the Minister of Industries and Trade Rishard Badurdeen and Minister of Finance Mangala Samaraweera attended the Business Forum and that it is informed  that the  Presidential Secretariat has not met expenses for  any of the parties attended the  Business Forum.

Thus, we reject certain media reports that alleged that more than hundred delegates accompanied the President in this tour."