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Travel ban on politicos and officials

Move to cut state expenditure

President Mahinda Rajapaksa has ordered a ban on foreign travel by Ministers, Parliamentarians and public officials on State expenditure for study programmes or sight-seeing visits.

The move, intended to reduce mounting public expenditure, has been given effect through a circular issued on Thursday by Presidential Secretary Lalith Weeratunga.

Government sources say at least 150 parliamentarians and public officials travelled every week. According to these sources the move will mainly affect medical and scientific sectors.

This Presidential directive has been sent to all Ministry Secretaries, Provincial Council Secretaries and Secretaries to Governors.

Earlier, a circular from Mr. Weeratunga banned all foreign study tours. But the move led to Ministries and other organizations seeking clarification on what it meant.

The Presidential directive, however, exempts overseas training courses, conferences and workshops organized by the Department of External Resources.

The latest directive said “the suspension would be applicable with the case of all Ministers, Deputy Ministers, MPs, Provincial Council members and members of local authorities and State officers, officers attached to State Corporations and statutory bodies.”

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