Sarath Weerasekara ‘honored to accept position of public security minister’

COLOMBO: New Public Security Minister Rear Admiral Sarath Weerasekara said he is honored to accept the Cabinet position.

Rear Admiral Weerasekara was sworn in as the Cabinet Minister of Public Security while Chamal Rajapaksa was sworn in as the State Minister of State Security, Home Affairs and Disaster Management before President Rajapaksa at the Presidential Secretariat.

“I’m honored to accept the position of Minister — Public Security. I pledge to discharge my duties and responsibilities to the best of my ability and knowledge and to uphold the trust that the president Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and the public has placed in me,” the minister said on Twitter.

In accordance with revision of subjects under Ministries on Nov. 20, Ministries of Defense and the Technology have been bought under the purview of President Rajapaksa.

The 21st Century is considered as the knowledge-centric century. In order to make this a reality “Saubhagyaye Dekma” Policy Statement envisages to build a technology-based society.

All economic sectors including agriculture, industry and services will become technology dependent in the future.

The government seeks to integrate investment in education with economic sectors to create a society armed with new technology in the 21st Century.  President intends to build a culture of technology innovation that will enhance the living standards of the people.

Simplification of State machinery and market process, expansion of digital governance through the use of information technology as a tool for knowledge exchange are priorities of the newly established Ministry. Establishment of international electronic payment schemes, high speed data exchange system and associated mobile network across the country are within the purview of the new Ministry.