Politicians shouldn’t waste public money on banners, cut-outs: President

President Maithripala Sirisena makes a presentation at the launch of new lottery, Niroga, introduced by the National Lottery Board for the welfare of kidney patients as Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake looks on

Politicians should not spend public funds on banners and cut-outs for their election campaigns but rather spend that money on people’s welfare, according to President Maithripala Sirisena.

He pointed out that the politicians from past administrations used the money of state organisations to promote themselves and in doing so wasted several billions.

“In such an environment, the money I got from various parties for advertising campaign as the Common Candidate was offered by me to establish a fund for the welfare of kidney patients,” President Sirisena stated.

The President made these remarks this week at the launch of new lottery, Niroga, introduced by the National Lottery Board for the welfare of kidney patients.

The President said that some people spent a lot of money in one night at clubs for their own entertainment. He requested them to donate that money to enhance the living standards of kidney patients and Sri Lanka’s poor.

President Sirisena also recalled the actions which have been taken for the welfare of the kidney patients, including the establishment of the taskforce for the prevention of kidney disease and the formation of a new fund for that in collaboration with the business community.

Furthermore, he emphasised the need of spending the money earned from the Niroga lottery completely over the welfare of kidney patients.

Ministers Ravi Karunanayake, Rajitha Senaratne, Mahinda Samarasinghe and the Chairman of the National Lottery Board, Shyamila Perera (Attorney at Law), were among those who participated in the event.