Tourism minister clips wings of SLTPB chairman, appoints special advisor
Despite pressure on him even from his own political boss to do otherwise, Tourism Minister John Ameratunga insisted on the appointment of Udaya Nanayakkara as Chairman of the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) months ago.
The honeymoon appears to be over. He sought to shift Mr Nanayakkara from that position but was unsuccessful. So he has sought to do what he thought was the next best thing.
On December 21, Minister Ameratunga appointed F.S. Rodrigo, his own Adv i s o r, as a “Special Representative of the Minister of Tourism Development and Christian Affairs to the SLTPB.”
Mr Ameratunga has told Mr. Rodrigo that he is to be “solely responsible to me with immediate effect, to ensure that the key identified initiatives of the Bureau are executed accordingly and in an effective manner.” One need hardly say that it is common knowledge that the Chairman of a state enterprise is the person who remains directly responsible to his own Minister over matters concerning the institution.
However, what has raised eyebrows is another issue. That is, Minister Ameratunga’s directive to Advisor Rodrigo which says “I would expect you to attend all Board Meetings of the Bureau and any other related meetings and discussions with senior officials of the SLTPB as and when required and determined by the Chairman or Managing Director.”
Mr Ameratunga adds; “I expect you to update me on a monthly basis the progress of all promotional initiatives undertaken by the Bureau so as to enable me to inform the Cabinet of Ministers in a timely manner.”
The move prompted at least one SLTPB expert to seek legal opinion. He has been advised that the Minister has no legal authority to name persons other than the Board of Directors to attend board meetings. “Otherwise, every statutory body will have a Minister’s representative other than being a Board member,” he has been told. The expert has also been told by a legal big wig it would be like the Minister asking his Advisor to attend Cabinet meetings in his absence – a move that is unconstitutional.
What has shocked those at the SLTPB is another aspect – that the Minister of Tourism and Christian Affairs did not have confidence in the Board of Directors of the SLTPB “to update him on a monthly basis of all promotional initiatives.” This is to enable him “to inform the Cabinet of Ministers in a timely manner.” That sure is a serious departure from accepted norms, said an SLTPB staffer.