Information and Communication Technology State Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena has firmly refuted the Opposition’s accusation of spending Rs. 300 million to refurbish Temple Trees.
He was addressing a press conference at the Media Ministry, yesterday. The State Minister said that not a single rupee had been spent to buy furniture for Temple Trees since Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa assumed office.
UNP MP Range Bandara, participating in a press conference on Sunday, claimed that furniture worth Rs 300 million had been bought for Temple Trees. He alleged that four helicopters were used by the President and other Rajapaksa family members to travel from Colombo to Hambantota to attend an event at a pre-school. He further accused that seven helicopters had travelled to Anuradhapura for the swearing-in ceremony of the President.
Abeywardena, responding to the allegations, explained that the President is entitled to use two helicopters for travel and that Prime Minister Rajapaksa had gone to Hambantota via road. He added that the President and the tri-force commanders had used helicopters, as entitled by them, to travel to Anuradhapura for the swearing-in ceremony.
He asked the MP to prove his claim of spending Rs 300 million on furniture with relevant bills. He said that it was a blatant lie.
International Co-operation State Minister Susil Premajayantha, joining in the press conference, said that Sri Lanka’s undertakings at the UN Human Right Council would be studied and a strategic approach to them would be made. He clarified that he did not mention of any amendment to the UNHRC Resolution at the upcoming Geneva session in March and that he had been misquoted by an English daily in that respect.
Commenting on the judicial process with regard to former Minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratne and the Swiss Embassy employer, the State Minister said the due process had been adhered to and the Government had been cautious not to meddle with the investigations or the judicial process.