No Changes to Sri Lankan Ambassador to US or Presidential Secretary Posts: Cabinet Spokesman

28-May-2026

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Cabinet Spokesman and Minister Nalinda Jayatissa firmly denied reports that the government had decided either to appoint Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to the United States Mahinda Samarasinghe to a new position or to make changes to the post of Presidential Secretary.

He pointed out that a small group pursuing narrow interests was deliberately fabricating and spreading such false news.

The remarks were made during the weekly Cabinet media briefing held at the Government Information Department in Colombo on May 26.

Minister Jayatissa stated that Mahinda Samarasinghe, who currently serves as Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to the United States, had previously been involved in domestic politics but had since completely withdrawn from political activities and was now solely engaged in diplomatic duties.

He stressed that no decision had been taken either at Cabinet level or by the government to appoint him to any other senior position.

Similarly, he clarified that the government had no intention whatsoever of replacing the current Presidential Secretary or appointing another person to the position.

He further alleged that a small group driven by vested interests was intentionally spreading completely false stories in an attempt to create confusion within the government’s administrative structure.