President has the power to change Suwa Seriya board: ex-chairman

By Pranavesh Sivakumar   

Following the recent controversy that the 1990 Suwa Seriya Ambulance board was changed, former chairman Dumindra Ratnayaka broke a big misconception claiming President Anura Kumara Dissanayake under his capacity has the right to handle the board.   

Subsequent to the appointment, the news followed a hue and cry and raised many questions.   

Ratnayake, having ended a six-year term and succeeded by Niroshan Ratnayake (unrelated), explained to the Daily Mirror, “In 2018, an act was passed in the parliament, called the 1990 Suwa Seriya Foundation Act and this was made an entity under the government. In the same year, the foundation, which is run by a board, was set up and was appointed by the president”.   

Since Ratnayake had been in the thick of these things, the then-President Maithripala Sirisena had appointed the former as the chairman, who was even instrumental in drafting the act.   
Ratnayake and co., made it a board that can be active only for three-years and wanted the President in power to reappoint a board. That placed the prerogative only the President to handle the board.   

“So in 2021, again when the term of the first board was over after three years, it was ex-president Gotabaya Rajapaksa,who reappointed the same board”, he said.   

Ratnayake emphasised there need not be any hue or cry, since the act reads, it’s the President handling the board.   

“In August 2024, the second term of my board was over. The then-President Ranil Wickremesinghe extended the term of the same board till December 31st. That was because elections had been declared, and he said he can’t do anything to the board and let the new president appoint a new board in December. Therefore, on December 31st our term was anyway over”, he added.