Fonseka’s list for key positions was ready but not he

Everything was designated; who should be eased out from the position occupying; and even the names of persons to be appointed in key positions in the new administration was ready.

That is on the emergence of Gen Sarath Fonseka victoriously in the recent presidential elections. But that was not to be, Alas. The bride was ready; the groom never showed up.

The list of names of those persons marked for the key positions in the new regime is surfacing. Fonseka was shrewd in this that the plum positions he marked them for his men.

The transition team was handled by Senaka Arnold Haripriya de Silva alias Captain Shah Silva who was the Private Secretary to General Sarath Fonseka during the Presidential election.

He was to take over the position as Secretary to the President, the post presently held by Lalith Weeratunga.

Though many of the portfolios in Sarath Fonseka’s administration were to be determined by the leaders of the UNP, JVP, Sri Lanka Muslim Congress, Sri Lanka Freedom Party (Mahajana Wing), Western Peoples Front and the TNA , the key posts were marked to be controlled by Sarath Fonseka himself.

Accordingly, he was planning to control the Defence agencies of the country such as Army, Navy, Air Force and the Police.

With this in mind, according to an intelligence report, Maj. Gen (retd) G.A. Chandrasiri, who is at present the Governor of Northern Province was to be appointed to the all important position of Secretary to Defence, taking over from the present Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

Along with him the Retired Major General Upali Edirisinghe was to be appointed as the Additional Secretary, Defence.

Either Major General J.J P. S.T. Liyanage or Major General G.P.R. De Silva were earmarked to be the Commander of the Sri Lanka Army.

The latest detail was that Major General Anton Wijendra (retd) was to be appointed as the Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister.

- Asian Tribune