Over Rs 22m spent for Yoshitha’s overseas training - govt

The former government spent over Rs 22 million in total on foreign scholarships and training programmes for Lieutenant Yoshitha Rajapaksa, the son of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, according to Minister Gayantha Karunathilake.

Replying to a question from JVP MP Nalinda Jayatissa in Parliament on Tuesday (26), the Minister of Parliament Reforms and Mass Media revealed the following expenses borne by the then government:

Young officers’ course (Britain) - Rs 6,284,219.25

Sea training in vessels (Britain) - Rs 7,031,614.74

Sub Lieutenant technical course (Britain) - Rs 5,333,667.07

Special education course at National Defence University (Ukraine) - Rs 3,573,317.06

The Minister clarified that it is not a scholarship extended by the British government and that Y.K. Rajapaksa received approval from the Ministry of Defence to join the Sri Lanka Navy as an officer despite not having the required O/L qualifications. 

When asked about the delay to implement the recommendations of the three-member committee appointed to probe the issue, Karunathilake stated that the government hopes to take action even though delayed.