Government refutes curtailing CBK’s security; says 57 officers assigned

The government today refuted curtailing security detail of former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga as claimed by her.

Minister Vijitha Herath told the media briefing to announce Cabinet decisions that Ms. Kumaratunga had been provided with security detail of 57 officials while stating that her security had not been reduced to 30 as claimed by her.

He said certain former Presidents had been provided with security detail of some 180 to 100 security personnel.

The Minister said a committee had been appointed to decide on providing security to former Presidents and that a Cabinet Paper will be submitted based on the report to formulate a mechanism to provide security in an equal manner.

He said the Police Department alone spends Rs. 1,100 million for the provision of security to the former Presidents.

In a letter to Ravi Seneviratne, the Secretary of the Ministry of Public Security, Kumaratunga expressed concern that the number of security officers assigned to her had been slashed from 50 to just 30.