It is reported that the Presidential Secretariat has taken steps to ban the purchase of vehicles for ministries and state institutions.
This decision has been taken on the instructions of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa with the intention of limiting the expenditure of state institutions.
A programme has been created where the excess vehicles at the Presidential Secretariat will be made available for ministries and institutions if they require additional vehicles.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had already given instructions to limit the expenditure of state institutions and is therefore leading by example, an officer at the Presidential Secretariat said.
Work done in two weeks!
Furthermore, several social media campaigns were carried out over the last few days to shape public opinion to the effect that President Gotabaya is 'not like them'. Here is a snippet of some those campaigns.
1. Assuming duties at the Presidential Secretariat without blocking the Galle Road.
2. Abstaining from donning the 'Saatakaya'.
3. Reducing the staff at the Presidential Secretariat substantially.
4. Reducing the number of his security contingent by thousands.
5. Using only 3 vehicles for official purposes.
6. Stopping in traffic and adhering to road rules.
7. Ban the use of massive cutouts of Gotabaya across the island.
8. Prohibit the use of photographs of politicians at State Institutions/Ministries and directing them to use the State emblem instead
9. Advertising to select suitable personnel for top posts at State Institutions
10. Informing the driver of the First Lady's vehicle that got ticketed by Police to pay the fine and recover his license.
11. Removing a pandal erected at Katunayaka with his pictures.
