Butler Hired for £1,000 a Day During Ranil's UK Trip, Reveals Minister Bimal Rathnayake

COLOMBO (News 1st) - In Parliament on Saturday (15), Leader of the House Minister Bimal Rathnayake revealed that former President Ranil Wickremesinghe hired a butler during his private trip to the United Kingdom in September 2023. According to Rathnayake, the butler was paid £1,000 a day for his services during the trip.

The trip, which took place on the 22nd and 23rd of September 2023, was initially planned as a private visit. Wickremesinghe traveled to Wolverhampton and London with a delegation of 10, which included his wife, Senaratne Dissanayake, Sandra Perera, a doctor, security personnel, and an advanced security team. The funds for the trip were requested from the London High Commission on August 16, 2023, under "most urgent" and "strictly confidential" terms.

While the trip was initially deemed a private one, the costs associated with it ballooned to around £40,000 (approximately Rs. 16.2 million). The trip's description was later amended, and it was reclassified as an official program. This raised questions about how a private trip could turn into an official one and how the substantial expenses were justified.

Minister Rathnayake raised serious concerns about the spending of taxpayer money, noting that £2,000 was paid specifically for the butler's services, with bills to back up these claims. He also mentioned that a statement regarding Batalanda would be made the following day, which he believed would shed light on the matter further.

The Minister called for a thorough investigation by officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including the Minister, into the costs and spending on this trip. He also questioned the ethics behind using taxpayer money for a private trip, especially when the country was facing financial challenges. Rathnayake concluded by stating that the former President should be ashamed of his actions, considering the financial situation that Sri Lanka faced during his tenure.