(UDHAYAM, COLOMBO) – Eastern Province Governor Austin Fernando is to be appointed as the new President’s Secretary. He will fill the post made vacant by the resignation of Secretary to the President P. B. Abeykoon.
Mr. Abeykoon has reportedly tendered his resignation from the post on personal grounds on Friday (30).
Mr. Austin Fernando was educated at Richmond College, Galle, and the University of Peradeniya from where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree. He later received a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Sri Jayewardenepura.
Mr. Fernando taught at Nagoda Royal National College for a period of time before joining the Sri Lanka Administrative Service (SLAS). He was Government Agent for Polonnaruwa District and Nuwara Eliya District. He was later Commissioner of Cooperative Development and Postmaster General. He was then served as the Secretary at Ministry of Rehabilitation, Ministry of Public Administration, Home Affairs and Provincial Councils. He was a consultant to the United Nations (UN) before becoming Defence Secretary in December 2001.
President Maithripala Sirisena appointed Mr. Fernando as a Presidential Advisor on January 15, 2015. He was appointed Governor of Eastern Province on January 27, 2015.