State Ministers Premitha Bandara Tennakoon and Shehan Semasinghe have been appointed as the acting Ministers of Defence and Finance, respectively, in the absence of President Ranil Wickremesinghe.
Accordingly, Tennakoon will serve as the Minister of Defence, while Semasinghe serves as the Minister of Finance, Economic Stabilization and National Policy, until the President’s return from India.
Further, State Minister Dilum Amunugama has been appointed as the Minister of Investment Promotion while State Minister Kanaka Herath was appointed as the Minister of Technology, and State Minister Anupa Pasqual as the Minister of Women, Children Affairs, & Social Empowerment.
Meanwhile, Chandani Wijewardena has been appointed as the Acting Secretary to the President, as Presidential Secretary Saman Ekanayake is accompanying Wickremesinghe on his India visit.
This is the first time in the history of Sri Lanka a female was appointed to this position, the President’s Media Division (PMD) said.
President Wickremesinghe departed on an official two-day visit to India a short while ago, on an invitation from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
This is his first visit to the neighbouring nation since taking office in 2022.
