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Abeykoon new Presidential Secretary, Basnayake Defence Secretary
View(s):President Maithripala Sirisena appointed two senior Sri Lanka Administrative Service (SLAS) officers to the vital posts of Secretary to the President and Secretary to the Defence Ministry yesterday. The former Public Administration Ministry Secretary P.B. Abeykoon was appointed as the Secretary to the President and former Environment Ministry Secretary B.M.U.D. Basnayaka was appointed as Secretary to the Defence Ministry, a portfolio held by the President.
They replaced Lalith Weeratunga and Gotabaya Rajapaksa who held the posts under the previous regime.
Another appointment made was that of cinema director Somaratna Dissanayake as new chairman of the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation.
Meanwhile, several high profile resignations were announced yesterday. These included the resignation of Gotabaya Rajapaksa who stepped down from his powerful post as secretary to the Ministry of Defence and Urban Development.
He also tendered his resignations as head of several other institutions, including Lanka Hospitals Limited. Also resigning was Charitha Herath, Secretary to the Ministry of Information and Media, He sent in his resignation yesterday while the heads of all state media institutions had also stepped down.
Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal, Securities & Exchange Commission Chairman Nalaka Godahewa and Sri Lanka Ports Authority Chairman Priyath Bandu Wickrama also stepped down.