The President’s Media Division (PMD) refuted news circulated in certain media alleging that more than hundred delegates accompanied President Maithripala Sirisena in his Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) tour.

Issuing a media release the PMD said that various false information is being reported regarding the  official delegation accompanying President Maithripala Sirisena to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in London. 

The President was accompanied by the President’s wife, the President’s official doctor, Minister Tilak Marapana and his wife, Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva, Language Interpreter and two officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the PMD claimed.

Moreover, print and electronic media personnel of the President’s Media Division and journalists representing private media institutions and few officers of President’s Security Division, who do not belong to the official delegation participated in this tour, the PMD added.

“Despite that, no person was included in the delegation under the expense of the Presidential Secretariat or attended the CHOGM or any meeting held simultaneously,” the PMD affirmed.

Minister of Industries and Trade Rishard Badurdeen and Minister of Finance Mangala Samaraweera attended the Business Forum which was held parallel to CHOGM and the Presidential Secretariat has not met expenses for any of the parties attended the Business Forum, according to the media release issued by PMD.

“Thus, we reject certain media reports that alleged that more than hundred delegates accompanied the President in this tour ” the PMD noted.