Prime Minister Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday (20) inaugurated the 100-year-old Prime Minister’s Office at Sirimathipaya, Mal Road, Colombo.
After unveiling the plaque, the President inspected the office premises while viewing photographs on display at the renovated Prime Minister’s Office.
There was also a first day cover and a commemorative stamp issued by the President to mark the commencement of new duties in the office.
The renovation work of this house was carried out by the Sri Lanka Navy under the supervision of the former Secretary to the Prime Minister Gamini Senarath at the suggestion of the Prime Minister.
This two storied mansion was built in 1916 by Albert Emmanuel de Silva for his son Sir Albert de Silva.
Following his death, it was handed over to the government in 1960 by family members.
Accordingly, the then Ministry of Education and Radio, the Ministry of Local Government and Housing were maintained in Sirimathipaya and in 1978 the then Prime Minister Ranasinghe Premadasa established the Prime Minister’s Office in Sirimathipaya.
The two-story mansion was completely renovated 44 years later, according to a more than 100-year-old plan.
