Dy Secretary General Parliament never a political appointee: senior staff member Parliament

By Yohan Perera 

The appointment of Chaminda Kularatne as the Deputy Secretary General of Parliament was never a politically motivated one, a senior Member of Parliament staff said yesterday.   

“It was true that Kularatne once worked as at the Presidential Secretariat during the tenure of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa. However he was never associated with the former President. He is not even from Hambantota. He is a native of Avissawella,” the staff member who did not wish to be named told Daily Mirror.   

“He only applied for the job at the Presidential Secretariat and was interviewed. He was appointed after securing the required marks,” he added.   

“Kularatne was appointed as the General Secretary legitimately,” it was further revealed.   

Thie staff member was responding to an allegation that Kularatne has been a political appointee.   

Meanwhile the opposition is expected to raise the matter with regard to Kularatne’s appointment in Parliament next week.   

Two opposition MPs namely Ranjith Madduma Bandara and Mano Ganesan criticised the way the matter with regard to Kularatne had been handled.   

“One-Man Committee report on Deputy Secretary General Parliament should have been presented to the full House of Parliament. Yes, the government holds a 159-seat majority and can bulldoze decisions. However tabling the report would have informed the public, enabled parliamentary scrutiny, and upheld democratic convention.   

So the question is unavoidable. Is the NPP now breaking established democratic norms? And is this episode part of a broader state capture project by the JVP,” Ganesan said.

MP Madduma Bandara said the report of the inquiry has been hidden from the public. It was also reported that Pivithuru Hela Urumaya Leader Udaya Gammanpila is to ask for the inquiry report under Right to Information Act.