The Sri Lanka Export Development Board, the Sri Lanka Board of Investment and the Colombo Port City Economic Commission, which were under the Ministry of Finance, were taken over by the Ministry of Investment Promotion, based on an extraordinary gazette issued by President Ranil Wickremesinghe on September 16.
Despite the three public institutions being taken away from the Finance Ministry, they will continue to operate under the President himself given that no person has yet been appointed as the Cabinet Minister of Investment Promotion.
As of now two MPs’ names have been nominated for the post, Vajira Abeywardena the Chairperson of the United National Party (UNP) and Dhammika Perera, an ex business magnet and a national list MP of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) who had previously served in the same position.
Accordingly, the most trusted person from the two will be given the position, according to political sources.
MIAP