High Post Committee goes hi-tech; clears President SL envoy to Kenya via video conference

Saturday, 21 November 2020 00:26 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Velupillai Kananathan was cleared by HPC after questioning him via video conferencing
Kananathan who earlier served as SL envoy to Uganda will now head to Nairobi

By Chandani Kirinde

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s nominee to serve as Sri Lanka’s new High Commissioner to Kenya Velupillai Kananathan appeared before the High Post Committee of Parliament yesterday via a video conferencing system, the first time such technology has been used by the Committee.

Kananathan who is in Uganda at present appeared before the Committee and answered questions raised by its members, Parliament Secretary-General Dhammika Dasanayake said.

He said the Committee on High Posts scrutinised the qualifications of Kananathan who previously served as the Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Uganda from 2013 to 2015. His name was subsequently approved by the Committee.

The Committee on High Posts also approved the names of six ministry secretaries nominated by the President.

They are Wasantha Perera as the Secretary to the Ministry of Power, K.D.P. Olga as the Secretary to the Ministry of Energy, R.W.R. Pemasiri as the Secretary to the Ministry of Highways, N.B.M. Ranatunga as Secretary to the Ministry of Transport, S. Hettiarachchi as Secretary to the Ministry of Tourism and Jagath P. Wijeweera as Secretary to the Ministry of Mass Media.

The HPC is tasked with examining the suitability of any person nominated for posts of Secretaries to Ministries, Heads of Missions abroad and Chairpersons of selected Corporations etc. and calls for public representation after the names of the nominees are forwarded to it.

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 MPs Anura Priyadharshana Yapa, Vijitha Herath, John Seneviratne and Sarath Fonseka were present at yesterday’s meeting.