Lalith Weeratunga
Encyclopedia
Lalith Weeratunga, SLAS
, is the current Permanent Secretary
to the President of Sri Lanka
(also known as the President's Secretary). As the President's Secretary he is the top civil servant in the country and de facto head of the Sri Lanka Administrative Service
. Prior to the appointment he was the Secretary to the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka
.
, Matara
before moving to Royal College Colombo
for his secondary education. Mr Weeratunga holds a Masters Degree in Business Administration from the University of Colombo
and a Bachelors Degree in Natural Sciences from the same university. later attended Pennsylvania State University
for postgraduate studies. He is a Hubert H. Humphrey Fellow of the Pennsylvania State University, USA.
was elected the President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. Prior to this, Mr Weeratunga held the position of Secretary to the Prime Minister
from April 2004. Formerly, he was the Director, Re-engineering Government in the Information & Communication Technology Agency of Sri Lanka. He has also been a Senior Consultant at the Postgraduate Institute of Management (PIM) of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura
, teaching both the Masters in Business Administration and Masters in Public Administration programmes.
Weeratunga entered the Sri Lanka Administrative Service
(SLAS) in January 1977 and has held a number of senior positions in the public service as Secretary to the Prime Minister, Additional Secretary, Prime Minister's Office
, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Education & Higher Education, Director General, Tertiary & Vocational Education Commission, Vice Chairman, National Apprenticeship Board, and Senior Assistant Secretary, Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports. In the early part of his career, he was an Assistant Government Agent.
He had also been Chief Technical Advisor/Vocational Training Specialist in the Regional Office of the International Labour Organization (ILO) for Asia & Pacific, Thailand and had worked as a Consultant of the United Nations Development Programme for the Government of Maldives
. In addition, he has done several consultancies for the ILO
.
Weeratunga is the Chairman of the Telecommunication Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka and in addition, chairs the Presidential Task Force for National Productivity and the National Administrative Reforms Council. Throughout his career, he has served many Task Forces, Committees and Governing Councils of universities and Boards of directors of Public Corporations and Statutory Boards.
He is also the current Chair of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Committee of ESCAP – the Economic & Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific.
In September 2010, Weeratunga was unanimously elected as the Chairman of the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation at its 50th Council Meeting.
Sri Lanka Administrative Service
The Sri Lanka Administrative Service is the key administrative service of the Government of Sri Lanka, with civil servants working for both in the Central Government as well as in the provincial councils. It was formed as the Ceylon Administrative Service in 1963 as the successor to the Ceylon...
, is the current Permanent Secretary
Permanent Secretary
The Permanent secretary, in most departments officially titled the permanent under-secretary of state , is the most senior civil servant of a British Government ministry, charged with running the department on a day-to-day basis...
to the President of Sri Lanka
President of Sri Lanka
The President of Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is the elected head of state and the head of government. The President is a dominant political figure in Sri Lanka. The office was created in 1978 but has grown so powerful there have been calls to restrict or even eliminate its power...
(also known as the President's Secretary). As the President's Secretary he is the top civil servant in the country and de facto head of the Sri Lanka Administrative Service
Sri Lanka Administrative Service
The Sri Lanka Administrative Service is the key administrative service of the Government of Sri Lanka, with civil servants working for both in the Central Government as well as in the provincial councils. It was formed as the Ceylon Administrative Service in 1963 as the successor to the Ceylon...
. Prior to the appointment he was the Secretary to the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka
Prime Minister of Sri Lanka
The Prime Minister of Sri Lanka is the functional head of the Cabinet of Sri Lanka. However, the President is both head of state and head of government in Sri Lanka...
.
Education
Weeratunga received his primary education at Rahula CollegeRahula college
Rahula College is a boys' school in Sri Lanka, located in Matara district - . Though it was originally a Buddhist school,now it is run by the Government of Sri Lanka as a National School. It was one of the first schools which was converted to a National School...
, Matara
Matara
Matara can refer to:* Matara, Eritrea* Matara, Sri Lanka* Matará, Cangallo Province, Peru...
before moving to Royal College Colombo
Royal College Colombo
The Royal College of Colombo was founded in January 1835 in Colombo. It is considered to be the leading Public School in Sri Lanka...
for his secondary education. Mr Weeratunga holds a Masters Degree in Business Administration from the University of Colombo
University of Colombo
The University of Colombo is a public research university located primarily in Colombo, Sri Lanka...
and a Bachelors Degree in Natural Sciences from the same university. later attended Pennsylvania State University
Pennsylvania State University
The Pennsylvania State University, commonly referred to as Penn State or PSU, is a public research university with campuses and facilities throughout the state of Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1855, the university has a threefold mission of teaching, research, and public service...
for postgraduate studies. He is a Hubert H. Humphrey Fellow of the Pennsylvania State University, USA.
Career
Lalith Weeratunga, Secretary to President of Sri Lanka, assumed this position in November 2005 when Mahinda RajapaksaMahinda Rajapaksa
Percy Mahendra "Mahinda" Rajapaksa ; ; born November 18, 1945) is the 6th and current President of Sri Lanka and Commander in Chief of the Sri Lankan Armed Forces. A lawyer by profession, Rajapaksa was first elected to the Parliament of Sri Lanka in 1970, and served as prime minister from April 6,...
was elected the President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. Prior to this, Mr Weeratunga held the position of Secretary to the Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Sri Lanka
The Prime Minister of Sri Lanka is the functional head of the Cabinet of Sri Lanka. However, the President is both head of state and head of government in Sri Lanka...
from April 2004. Formerly, he was the Director, Re-engineering Government in the Information & Communication Technology Agency of Sri Lanka. He has also been a Senior Consultant at the Postgraduate Institute of Management (PIM) of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura
University of Sri Jayewardenepura
The University of Sri Jayewardenepura is one of the Universities in Sri Lanka. It is located in Gangodawila, Nugegoda, near Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte, the capital city of Sri Lanka...
, teaching both the Masters in Business Administration and Masters in Public Administration programmes.
Weeratunga entered the Sri Lanka Administrative Service
Sri Lanka Administrative Service
The Sri Lanka Administrative Service is the key administrative service of the Government of Sri Lanka, with civil servants working for both in the Central Government as well as in the provincial councils. It was formed as the Ceylon Administrative Service in 1963 as the successor to the Ceylon...
(SLAS) in January 1977 and has held a number of senior positions in the public service as Secretary to the Prime Minister, Additional Secretary, Prime Minister's Office
Prime Minister's Office (Sri Lanka)
The Prime Minister's Office is a ministry of the Government of Sri Lanka. It provides the administrative and institutional framework for the exercise of the duties and responsibilities vested in the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka...
, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Education & Higher Education, Director General, Tertiary & Vocational Education Commission, Vice Chairman, National Apprenticeship Board, and Senior Assistant Secretary, Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports. In the early part of his career, he was an Assistant Government Agent.
He had also been Chief Technical Advisor/Vocational Training Specialist in the Regional Office of the International Labour Organization (ILO) for Asia & Pacific, Thailand and had worked as a Consultant of the United Nations Development Programme for the Government of Maldives
Maldives
The Maldives , , officially Republic of Maldives , also referred to as the Maldive Islands, is an island nation in the Indian Ocean formed by a double chain of twenty-six atolls oriented north-south off India's Lakshadweep islands, between Minicoy Island and...
. In addition, he has done several consultancies for the ILO
Ilo
Ilo is a port city in southern Peru, with some 58,000 inhabitants. It is the largest city in the Moquegua Region and capital of the province of Ilo.-History:...
.
Weeratunga is the Chairman of the Telecommunication Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka and in addition, chairs the Presidential Task Force for National Productivity and the National Administrative Reforms Council. Throughout his career, he has served many Task Forces, Committees and Governing Councils of universities and Boards of directors of Public Corporations and Statutory Boards.
He is also the current Chair of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Committee of ESCAP – the Economic & Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific.
In September 2010, Weeratunga was unanimously elected as the Chairman of the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation at its 50th Council Meeting.