President defends Dr. PB but accepts resignation

• Speculation rife PM’s Secretary Gamini Senarath, Mahaweli Secretary Anura Dissanayake and Tourism Secretary S. Hettiarachchi identified as replacement

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has accepted the resignation of his Secretary Dr. P.B. Jayasundera, the Daily FT learns.

Over the weekend, Dr. Jayasundera tendered his resignation. Dr. Jayasundera was once a longstanding Treasury Secretary.

Speculation was rife as to who would replace him, with some suggesting it will be Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa’s Secretary Gamini Senarath and others hinting Mahaweli Development Ministry Secretary Anura Dissanayake or Tourism Secretary S. Hettiarachchi who also served as Additional Secretary Defence during the tenure of Rajapaksa as Defence Secretary.

Some did not rule out a possibility of Dissanayake becoming Prime Minister’s Secretary if the choice for Secretary to the President is Senarath.

Upon his resignation, Dr. Jayasundera could be appointed as an Advisor to Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa, according to sources, but he has told his inner circle he will not take up any role.

Jayasundera’s resignation comes amidst continuous criticism by some ministers that the Secretary to the President was not accessible, whilst alleged he was responsible for the economic mess the Government has befallen to.

However, President Rajapaksa yesterday during a luncheon meeting with a select group of editors defended Jayasundera, saying it was unfair to single out a person and level criticism against him.

An experienced senior officer in the Sri Lanka Administration Service Sarath had served as the Additional Secretary and the Chief of Staff to the President during the tenure of President Mahinda Rajapaksa. 

Senarath read his basic degree at the University of Kelaniya and entered the Sri Lanka Administration Service (SLAS) in 1984. He has completed his Post Graduate degree in Information Technology at the University of Colombo. He has also followed a number of academic courses abroad.

Dissanayake is a Special Grade Officer of the Sri Lanka Administrative Service. Previously he served as Secretary Ministry of Irrigation, Ministry of High Education, Technology and Innovation, Additional Secretary to the President (2012-2015), and Director General of Mahaweli Authority among others.

Dissanayake completed his undergraduate education at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri

Lanka, and his postgraduate education at the University of Washington, USA.