President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has appointed two former senior military officers to key positions in the civil administration.
Accordingly, Major General (Retd.) W.P. Palitha Fernando has been appointed as the Secretary to the State Ministry of Disaster Management.
Secretary to the President Gamini Senarath handed over the letter of appointment to Major General (Retd.) Palitha Fernando at the Presidential Secretariat yesterday (08).
Wimalaweera Dissanayake who previously served as the State Minister of Wildlife Protection, Adoption of Safety Measures including the Construction of Electrical Fences and Trenches and Reforestation was sworn in as the State Minister of Disaster Management on March 04.
Major General Fernando served as the Secretary to the State Ministry of Wildlife Protection during Wimalaweera Dissanayake's stint as the State Minister.
Gammanpila's chairperson shown the door
Meanwhile, Major General (Retd.) M.R.W De Zoysa has been appointed as the new Chairman of Ceylon Petroleum Storage Terminals Limited (CPSTL).
The new appointment comes after former Chairman Nalaka Perera was removed from his position.
Justice Minister Ali Sabry's brother Mohamed Uvais was appointed as the Chairman of the Ceylon Petroleum Storage Terminals Limited soon after the incumbent government came to power. He was succeeded by Nalaka Perera who was appointed by Minister Udaya Gammanpila after the latter assumed duties as the Minister of Energy.
However, when Minister Gamini Lokuge was sworn in as the Minister of Energy during the recent cabinet reshuffle, Lokuge had informed Nalaka Perera that the President had ordered him to tender his resignation immediately.
Retired Major General M.R.W. De Zoysa who had served as the Chairman of the CPTSL before had also served as Chairman of the Land Development Corporation.
