New Defence Secretary takes office

533

Major General (Retired) Kamal Gunaratne today (20) assumed duties as the new Secretary to the Defence Ministry.

He ceremoniously took office at the Ministry at 09.15 am this morning in the presence of Chief of Defence Staff, Tri-Service Commanders, acting Inspector General of Police, Director General Civil Defence Force and a representative gathering of all Defence Ministry establishments.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa yesterday appointed Major General (Rtd.) Gunaratne as the new Defence Secretary.

Kamal Gunaratne is the former Commander Security Forces Headquarters – Wanni, General Officer Commanding (GOC) 53 Division, Colonel of the Regiment, Mechanized Infantry Regiment (MIR) and Master General Ordnance (MGO) of the Army Headquarters.

He had also served as a Deputy Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Brazil.

Following his retirement from the army in September 2016, Gunaratne authored a book ‘Road to Nandikadal’ on the war against the LTTE.

Post retirement, he had been active in supporting Gotabaya Rajapaksa in his campaign during the 2019 Presidential Election.