PARLIAMENT

The Committee on High Posts of the Parliament of Sri Lanka met under the patronage of the Hon. Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena yesterday (19) evening.

The Leader of the House and Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, Chief Government Whip and Minister Johnston Fernando, Ministers Chamal Rajapaksa, Douglas Devananda, Udaya Gammanpila, Keheliya Rambukwella, Nimal Siripala de Silva, Vidura Wickremanayake, Ramesh Pathirana and Members of Parliament were present at the meeting. Anura Priyadharshana Yapa, Vijitha Herath, John Seneviratne and Sarath Fonseka were present at the said committee meeting.

For the first time in the history of Parliament, the Committee on High Posts used video technology to discuss the qualifications of a Sri Lankan living abroad and which was considered to be a significant committee meeting.

The confab was held with Mr. Velupplillai Kananathan as the Sri Lanka’s newly appointed Ambassador to Kenya. The discussion with Mr. Kananathan, who is currently in Uganda, was held via Webex technology.

The Committee on High Posts looked into the qualifications of Mr. Kananathan who previously served as the Sri Lanka's Ambassador to Uganda from 2013 to 2015, through Webex technology.

Following the confab, the Committee on High Posts approved the appointment of Mr. Kananathan as the Sri Lanka's Ambassador to Kenya.

In addition, the appointments of secretaries to 06 Ministries also received the approval of the Committee on High Posts.

Accordingly, Mrs. Wasantha Perera as the secretary to the Ministry of Power, Mrs. K.D.P. Olga as the Secretary to the Ministry of Energy, Mr. R.W.R. Pemasiri as the Secretary to the Ministry of Highways, Mr. N.B.M Ranatunga as Secretary to the Ministry of Transport, Mr. S. Hettiarachchi as Secretary to the Ministry of Tourism and Mr. Jagath P. Wijeweera as Secretary to the Ministry of Mass Media received the approval of the Committee on High Posts.