Changes on the horizon for foreign and judicial services

COLOMBO (News 1st) - Recently the Sunday Times reported that there will be changes made to several key positions in the Judicial and Foreign services. It is reported that the President who left for New York would be making some top-level appointments upon his return to Colombo. The Sunday Times also reported that Attorney General Jayantha Jayasuriya had already been recommended to be the next chief justice. He is expected to take over when the current incumbent Priyasath Dep retires next month. Further, the report reads that Additional Solicitor General, Dappula De Livera will be appointed as the next Attorney General. He had also served as a state lawyer to assist the Presidential Commission of Inquiry into the CBSL bond scam. However, it also must be pointed out that when the Prime Minister was summoned to give evidence before the Commission that it was Attorney General Jayantha Jayasuriya who had questioned the Prime Minister and not Dappula De Livera. According to the constitution, it is the President who is vested with the power to make these appointments. Therefore, appointments to these key positions should not be made in such a manner which would later lead to regret. As the President holds rightful responsibility in making these appointments he cannot later state that he was unaware of those appointed to those key positions. In addition, Sunday Times reports that diplomat Ravinatha Ariyasinha is to be appointed to the post of the new Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Ariyasingha will succeed Prasad Kariyawasam who was Sri Lanka’s Ambassador in Washington DC before moving over to Colombo as the Foreign Secretary. Before the government was elected, they made a pledge to the people promising that all necessary measures will be taken to uplift the quality of the country's foreign service. However, the country's foreign policy had come under constant scrutiny in recent times following allegations made regarding the changes made to the foreign services, agreements reached with other countries and various other associated actions during the past three and a half years. During the said period three Foreign Ministers and Three Deputy Foreign Ministers had been appointed and noticeably, all of them had represented the United National Party. Similarly, in the recent times, three appointments were made to the post of Foreign Secretary, one of the key public administration positions in the country, and the latest appointment will become the 04th addition to that post. Also recently, the President had recalled the Sri Lankan Diplomats attached to the Embassy in Austria as well. Speaking to News 1st, Former Sri Lankan diplomat, Bandula Jayasekara expressed his views on the following matters. He stated that Ravinath Ariyasinghe is an extremely talented diplomat and that his appointment to this position is quite timely. Jayasekara further stated that although the present government had promised the public to not perform the same mistakes committed by their predecessors, that they too follow in the same path.