5 July 2017 12:21 pm
The well known businessman and Sri Lanka Labour Party Leader was appointed to his post this March.
Addressing a press briefing, Liyanage said the president had promised to appoint him as a provincial governor when a post fell vacant. As he was unable to fulfill this promise he was appointed as the Ambassador to Qatar.
Expressing his disappointment at not being appointed to the post of Eastern Province Governor which recently fell vacant, Liyanage said he expected the President to appoint him to the next post as governor when it fell vacant.
“I don’t blame the President but I am disappointed. My party is with the President always and will be a strong supporter of the government. I would like to state that this press conference is not to embarrass the government but to clarify the incident,” he said.
The businessman also said he had been commended for his service as the ambassador to Qatar during the recent Gulf crisis. “The President and the Foreign Minister appreciated my services and requested that I stay in my post for a while,” he said.
Liyanage stated that he could not leave his post as and when he wished as they needed to find his replacement. He hoped the President will concede to his request to resign and appoint him to a post he initially requested and was promised to him.
Former Foreign Affairs Minister Rohitha Bogollagama was appointed as the new governor to the Eastern Province on Tuesday after the post was left vacant when his predecessor Austin Fernando was appointed at the Permanent Secretary to the President.(Darshana Sanjeewa)