The 112th All Breeds Championship dog show was held at Excel World last week by the Ceylon Kennel Club. Among its participants was the former President’s third son, Rohitha Rajapaksa. He was proudly exhibiting a Caucasian Shepherd, an expensive breed of dogs that is popular in Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and North Caucasus area.
If the Caucasian Shepherd actually belonged to Rajapaksa, it would be a serious indictment on the lifestyle of the former first family. It is one of the most expensive breeds available in Sri Lanka and maintenance of a Caucasian Shepherd costs at least Rs. 55,000 a month. Interestingly, Rohitha Rajapaksa is not employed at any private or state sector institution and does not run any business.
His only avenue of income is the funds allocated by the government for expenses of the former first family.
This comes against a backdrop where Rohitha’s father, former Presidnet Rajapaksa, has launched an election campaign to “start afresh”, while pledging to rectify his old mistakes! One should not forget the stories appeared in media immediately after the last Presidential election that there were Air Conditioned rooms at Temple Trees for highly expensive pets of the former first family.
CDN