Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) Jaffna District Organiser Geethanath Cassilingham has defended former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, arguing that his contributions to the country outweigh the costs of his foreign visits.

Responding to Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya’s revelation in Parliament that Rajapaksa spent Rs. 3,572 million on foreign trips between 2010 and 2014, Cassilingham claimed these visits brought substantial economic benefits to Sri Lanka.

“The grants secured from India, China, Iran, Libya, and the Middle East far exceeded the expenses of those trips. Under his leadership, Sri Lanka attracted more investments than any other leader before him. I challenge anyone to dispute this,” Cassilingham stated in a post on X.

He further highlighted that Rajapaksa’s leadership spurred infrastructure development and economic progress across Colombo, Jaffna, Hambantota, Monaragala, and other districts.