by

Rasika Jayakody

The appointment of Kshenuka Seneviratne as the Sri Lankan Ambassador to Thailand has been put on hold as she is yet to be summoned before the Committee on High Posts in Parliament.

Speaking to the Daily News, Deputy Foreign Minister Ajith P. Perera said a final decision on the matter would be taken based on the recommendations of the Committee on High Posts.

He said Seneviratne’s appointment was not taken up at the last High Posts committee meeting and would be probably taken up at the next meeting. The Committee on High Posts examines the suitability of persons who have been either appointed to any post or nominated to hold office in any post determined by the Cabinet of Ministers and to make recommendations with regard to such persons.

At present, three categories of Officers are examined by the Committee including all Secretaries to Cabinet Ministries, all persons proposed to be appointed as Heads of Sri Lanka Missions abroad and Chairmen of Boards, Corporations and other State Institutions.

Speaking to the Daily News, a senior official of the Foreign Affairs Ministry said the High Posts committee has the representation of all major political parties representing Parliament including the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP).

Multiple parties, including the JVP, raised concerns over Seneviratne’s appointment as the Ambassador of Thailand prior to the conclusion of investigations into the refurbishment of the residence of the permanent representative of Geneva during her tenure.

It was widely alleged that after Seneviratne took over as Permanent Representative in November 2009, the mission had contracted a company that is reputed to be controlled by some LTTE operatives, to renovate her official residence. Seneviratne was later appointed as the External Affairs Ministry Secretary and she held the same position until the end of the previous regime.

Courtesy:Daily News