Prasad Kariyawasam- new Foreign Secretary

Sri Lanka’s Ambassador Prasad Kariyawasam, who is now serving an extended term in Washington DC, will be the next Foreign Secretary. He will assume duties on August 15. Appointed to Washington by President Mahinda Rajapaksa, he will succeed Esala Weerakoon, a career diplomat who is moving over as Secretary to the Tourism Ministry. He is learnt to be shifting positions at his own request.

Insiders say that Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Brussels, Rodney Perera, was earmarked as the Foreign Secretary by leaders of the United National Party, a coalition partner with the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) in the ‘consensus government.’ However, Ambassador Kariyawasam, a retired career diplomat, who was earlier given an extension as our envoy in Washington on the intervention of an influential UNP Minister was the preferred choice of President Sirisena.

The President was in favour of Mr Kariyawasam who was to end his extended term in September. He had instructed Presidential Secretary Austin Fernando to ensure that Mr. Kariyawasam takes over the Foreign Office bureaucracy sooner, i.e. by August 15.
Both Mr Fernando and Mr Kariyawasam are old boys of Richmond College, Galle. Mr. Kariyawasam represented the school at first eleven cricket.

The Presidential move, insiders say, is a further reflection of the tensions between the UNP and the SLFP leadership. The Foreign Ministry is under the UNP.

Read Cafe Spectator