By Niranjala Ariyawansha

Highly reliable Presidential Secretariat sources said yesterday that President Maithripala Sirisena is contemplating the creation of a new ministerial level position tasked with responsibility for defence and national security matters.

The new position is being created because of deep concerns arising out of a spate of recent allegations relating to matters of State security and the military forces.

The President had wanted a trusted person to handle these matters especially because of controversies surrounding members of the security forces being arrested in connection with several crimes, including killings, during the tenure of the previous regime, the source said.

The name of a prominent and powerful Minister who contested under the UNP ticket has been strongly tipped for the new position.

The Constitution of Sri Lanka stipulates that only the President of the country can hold the Defence portfolio.

The President is responsible as Minister of Defence to answer the allegations made by the United Nations regarding the war crimes.

Reportedly, the new position is created to manage the situation smartly dealing with the security forces officials effectively and closely in the backdrop the President is practically unable to engage directly in the affair. The President is overburdened with many duties and he lacks opportunity to associate the security forces closely, sources said. The sources further said that the experiences of the political history have been used in creating this new position.

During the tenure of Prime Minister Sirima Bandaranaike, her confidante Felix Dias Bandaranaike acted as the Defence Minister unofficially. During the tenure of President J.R. Jayawardhana, State Minister of National Security Lalith Athulathmudali was responsible for defence and during President R. Premadasa’s time, State Minister of Defence Ranjan Wijerathna did the same. During Mahinda Rajapaksa regime, Secretary to the Ministry of Defence Gotabaya Rajapaksa handled the defence affairs.

The sources close to the President said that the performances of State Minister of Defence Ruwan Wijewardana were not up to the expectations of the President.

Courtesy:Ceylon Today