Sirisena makes part-time appointments to SLFP hierarchy

• Prof. Rohana Lakshman Piyadasa replaces Duminda Dissanayake as General Secretary
• Duminda Dissanayake made National Organiser, S.B. Treasurer
• Former presidents CBK, MR and ex-PM D.M. Jayaratne appointed Advisors
• Nimal Siripala De Silva, Susil Premajayantha, John Seneviratne and Anura Priyadharshana Yapa appointed Senior Deputy Chairmen
• 12 including Fowzie, Mahinda Samarasinghe, Dilan, Amunugama and Dayasiri made Vice Presidents

By Skandha Gunasekara

The Sri Lanka Freedom Party yesterday made some temporary appointments to the party hierarchy, including Prof. Rohana Lakshman Piyadasa as its General Secretary.

Newly-appointed party Deputy Chairman MP Dayasiri Jayasekara told the Daily FT that the appointments were made by President Maithripala Sirisena in his capacity as the Chairman of the SLFP, at a Party Central Committee meeting held at the Ape Gama art and cultural center in Battaramulla last afternoon. 

Minister Nimal Siripala De Silva and MPs Susil Premajayantha, John Seneviratne and Anura Priyadharshana Yapa were appointed Senior Deputy Chairmen of the party. 

Additionally, 12 Vice Presidents were appointed. They are A.H.M. Fowzie, Dr. Sarath Amunugama, Mahinda Amaraweera, Shan Wijelal, Dayasiri Jayasekera, Sumedha G .Jayasena, Piyasena Gamage, Vijith Vijyamuni de Silva, Reginold Cooray, Mahinda Samarasinghe, Dilan Perera and Angajan Ramanadan.

Dayasiri further revealed that MP Duminda Dissanayake, who was the former General Secretary of the party, had now been appointed its National Organiser.  Former presidents Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga and Mahinda Rajapaksa, along with former Prime Minister D.M. Jayaratna have been appointed advisors to the party.

Jayasekara told the Daily FT that the temporary appointments would be in effect for 45 days.

Thereafter, the party leadership would be restructured officially on 2 September following the SLFP annual convention.

SLFP to propose Sudarshani Fernandopulle as Deputy Speaker

Informed sources told the Daily FT that it was decided at yesterday’s SLFP Central Committee meeting that the MP Sudarshani Fernandopulle’s name would be proposed to fill the vacant post of Deputy Speaker of Parliament. 

The SLFP is to make the proposal in Parliament tomorrow.

Sources said that although earlier it was suggested that Jaffna District MP Angajan Ramanadan could be appointed as the Deputy Speaker, objections from some political parties had resulted in that option being abandoned. 

The post of Deputy Speaker was vacated as a result of former Deputy Speaker Thilanga Sumathipala resigning from the post prior to him crossing over to the Opposition in Parliament. 

MP Sumathipala handed over his resignation from the Deputy Speaker post in the form of a letter to President Maithripala Sirisena.