News

President rejects request to extend terms of five envoys

Published

3 years ago

November 13, 2022

editor

A request from the Foreign Ministry to grant permission for four ambassadors and one high commissioner to complete a three-year tenure beyond the retirement age of 60 has been turned down by the President’s Office.

Permission had been sought for these heads of missions – one of them who has already completed the date of retirement and four others who will be reaching retirement age by next year — to complete the three-year term.

However, a decision has been taken not to grant any extensions keeping with a government policy that public sector employees should retire at the age of 60.

Several other Foreign Ministry requests have also been turned down.

The Foreign Ministry had taken up the position that permission should be granted to complete the three-year tenure in the case of Heads of Mission appointed from the Sri Lanka Foreign Service, despite the revision of the retirement age.

The Ministry also has cited the practice of allowing Heads of Mission appointed from the Foreign Service to complete their full tenure of three years after reaching 60.

Extensions had been sought in respect of Ambassadors P.M. Amza (Riyadh), Grace Asirwatham (Brussels), A. Sabarulla Khan (Oman) and S.D.K Semasinghe (Warsaw) and High Commissioner A.M.J. Sadiq (Maldives).

The Ministry had recommended that Mr Amza be allowed to complete his tenure till October 2024, Ms Asirwatham till June 2023, Ms Semasinghe till June 2024, Mr Sadiq till January 2025 and Mr Khan till September 2025.

In a related development, instructions have gone out to increase the number of professionally trained and experienced Sri Lanka Foreign Service officers to be posted as Heads of Mission overseas.

Currently, less than 50 percent of the Heads of Missions are from the Foreign Service.

(Sunday Times)

News

Fresh probe into Shiranthi’s bank account

Published

2 hours ago

June 23, 2025

editor

Deputy Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs – Attorney-at-Law Sunil Watagala has informed Parliament that a renewed investigation is underway into a fraudulent bank account allegedly maintained by Shiranthi Rajapaksa, wife of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

He stated that a fake account titled ‘Siriliya Saviya’ had been opened in her name and that the mandate form related to the ‘Siriliya’ Organization’s bank accounts had been fraudulently removed from the bank.

The Minister further revealed :

The account, now suspended, was opened on November 14, 2006, at the People’s Bank, Suduwella Branch, Darley Road, Colombo 10, under account number 143/1/001/4/6235069. Shiranthi Rajapaksa is listed as the chairperson of the account, with Kalyani Dissanayake as secretary and Nirosha Jeevani as treasurer.

The account currently holds a balance of Rs.43 million. Records indicate that Rs. 82,900,088 had been deposited on 88 occasions, while Rs.39,015,656 had been withdrawn on 129 occasions. Additionally, a fixed deposit of Rs.10 million had been opened under the name ‘Siriliya’.

The Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID) has resumed investigations into the matter.

Deputy Minister also mentioned several other questionable financial transactions involving the Rajapaksa family, such as ;

Rs.152 million allegedly obtained by CSN (Carlton Sports Network) from the Treasury.
Rs.35 million obtained by Gotabaya Rajapaksa from the Urban Development Authority to build a memorial for his parents.
Rs.208 million used by Basil Rajapaksa to purchase a house in Malwana.

News

Maldivian President’s office officials on study tour at Prez secretariat

Published

3 hours ago

June 23, 2025

editor

Officials from the Maldivian President’s Office arrived at the Presidential Secretariat today for a study tour. They are expected to remain in Sri Lanka until June 27th.

The primary areas of focus for their study tour include archives and records maintenance and preservation, stores management, inventory control and stock preservation.

During their visit, they are scheduled to tour the Department of National Archives, Sri Lanka Customs, Thimbirigasyaya Divisional Secretariat and the Parliament of Sri Lanka.

Eight officials from the Maldivian President’s Office are participating in this study tour. They met with Mr. Roshan Gamage, Senior Additional Secretary to the President, at the Presidential Secretariat and engaged in a discussion.

A group of officials from the Presidential Secretariat also attended the meeting.

(President’s Media Division)

News

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, arrives in SL (Update)

Published

3 hours ago

June 23, 2025

editor

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk has arrived in the island for an official visit.

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(Previous update 2025/06/23 at 9:11 am)

UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk arrives in SL today

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights – Volker Türk, is scheduled to arrive in Sri Lanka today (June 23).

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment, and Tourism, he is to remain in the country until June 26.

This is the first visit by a UN Human Rights Chief to Sri Lanka since February 2016.

During his stay, he is expected to meet with the President, Prime Minister, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, several other Cabinet Ministers, Members of Parliament, senior Government officials, religious leaders, representatives of civil society, members of the diplomatic community and the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka.