Abandoned vehicles: Former President had given them to his personal staff

Colombo, September 30 (Daily Mirror) - The fleet of 107 vehicles that were returned to the Presidential Secretariat had not been given to the permanent staff of the Presidential Secretariat but to the former President's personal staff appointed under Article 41 (1) of the Constitution, the President's Media Division (PMD) said.

The PMD said the vehicles have been parked outside the Presidential Secretariat not for the purpose of exhibiting but due to the lack of parking space at the Presidential Secretariat.

A statement issued by the Presidential Secretariat said that the fleet of vehicles had been parked outside the premises of the Presidential Secretariat with police protection.

The statement added that steps are being taken to provide the vehicles to essential services soon as per the instructions of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.

According to the list issued by the Presidential Secretariat, the vehicles had been given to four Senior Additional Secretaries, four- Senior Advisors, nine Advisors, eight Directors General, twenty-six Directors, three Coordinating Directors, seven Coordinating Secretaries and thirty-eight Members of Parliament.