PM insists dual citizens can hold top positions, defends Arjuna

By Ashwin Hemmathagama

Our Lobby Correspondent

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe yesterday blasted Opposition lawmakers for being silent on allowing dual citizens to hold critical positions in the Rajapaksa Government jeopardising national security.

Wickremesinghe was responding to questions raised by UPFA MP Dinesh Gunawardena who once again challenged the appointment of Central Bank Governor Arjuna Mahendran.

In response, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe insisted dual citizens had the right to hold top Government positions and pointed out former Defence Ministry Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa was also a dual citizen during the time he held office.

“Former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa was appointed Defence Secretary on 24 November and took US citizenship on 30 November. When the Foreign Service was handed over to an Australian, you never raised issues. Be happy that at least now you have the freedom to talk about these things. Do you know that dual citizens are bound to give priority to the US in the event an issue comes up?” he said.

Wickremesinghe also read out a list of names including former Ambassadors Udayanga Weerathunga, Jaliya Wickremasuriya, Palitha Kohona and Lakshman Jayaweera who held posts under the former Government as dual citizens.

Defending CBSL Governor Arjuna Mahendra by bringing out his history, the PM said: “Arjuna was born and was educated in Sri Lanka. He was employed here till 2004. Initially he was employed in the Central Bank, followed by several private sector establishments. He was the BoI Chief in the 2002 Government when Prof. G.L. Peiris was the Minister. With the Government change in 2004, he was compelled to leave Sri Lanka along with many others including Keith Noyahr, Poddalaya Jayantha, Upali Tennakon and Mandana Ismail. Unless he left, he would have ended up similar to Lasantha Wickrematunge or Prageeth Eknaligoda,” he noted.