🇱🇰 Sri Lanka Strips Ex-Presidents of Benefits - Parliament Votes 151–1

⭕ Pension is now the only benefit left for retired presidents. It ends upon their death; spouses do not receive it.

⭕ According to Minister Ananda Wijepala, the government spent Rs. 98.5 million in 2024 on benefits for 5 ex-presidents and 1 widow.

👉 Average = Rs. 1.37 million per month per president/widow.

⭕ For comparison, a single Parliament sitting costs about Rs. 50 million today (Rs. 31.2 million in 2022).

⭕ Rather than encouraging dignified retirement, this incentivizes maximizing personal gain while in office.

⭕ When no post-office dignity is guaranteed, the temptation to extract benefits while in power increases dramatically.

⭕ The annual Rs. 98.5 million saved is minuscule compared to the long-term cost to Sri Lanka, which could far exceed these savings.

⭕ Good populist politics but bad long-term policy.

#SriLanka #PresidentialEntitlements