Government rejects claims over cost of Independence Day event
The Government has rejected claims over the cost of the 75th Independence Day anniversary event.
The Presidential Secretariat said that misinformation related to the event was clearly another extension of the narrow political agenda that forced people to boycott the official state celebration of independence due to the economic crisis.
“Clearly, their aim is to mislead the people through false information, make the people hate the government and create unease to fulfil their petty political interests. Therefore, they have even attempted to convince the people that even providing mobile toilet facilities during the Independence Day celebration was a mistake,” the President’s Media Division said.
The President’s Media Division said that high-ranking foreign diplomats were invited to the celebration including the Japanese Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Takei Shunsuke, Bhutan’s Minister of Education and Skill Development Jai Bir Rai, Maldivian Foreign Minister Abdullah Shahid, Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dr A.K. Abdul Momen, Pakistan’s Minister of State for External Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar, Indian Minister of State for External Affairs V. Muraleedharan, Foreign Minister of Nepal Dr Bimala Rai Paudyal and Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland.
Further, around 3200 dignitaries including ambassadors, high commissioners of foreign countries, as well as 6670 armed forces personnel and the police attended the ceremony.
“Mobile toilet facilities were provided for the personnel engaged in the pre-training for the Independence celebration. In such a background, as a measure to provide proper health and safety measures for an event where thousands of people gather, it cannot be determined as an unnecessary expense for the provision of adequate mobile toilet facilities,” the President’s Media Division said.
It was also noted that not paying adequate attention to such an essential aspect at an official state event where a large number of people gather, is a disgrace to the country.
The President’s Media Division also said that false news was being circulated on social media that Rs. 5.8 million has been freely spent for this event from the money allocated for education by the government.
However, although the Ministry of Education has estimated the initial cost for this event, none of that money has been spent.
The Government says it spent only Rs.11,130,011.29 on the 75th National Independence Day celebrations this year.
“It should also be noted that the government has spent significantly lesser on this year’s Independence Day celebrations than on previous occasions,” the President’s Media Division said.
The President’s Media Division said that holding such a state ceremony when the country is recovering from a severe economic crisis is clearly preparing the country to rise again and on the other hand, it sends a message to the rest of the world that the country has the courage to stand up again, and that it is ready to reclaim the pride of Sri Lanka that was shattered by the crisis. (Colombo Gazette)