# Sanath Weerakoon

Sanath Rathnayake Weerakoon, is a Sri Lankan former government agent. He served as the government agent (district secretary) for the District of Colombo (1990–1999), Sri Lanka, and is considered one of the most distinguished and respected officers in the Sri Lankan Administrative Service. He served as the government agent of Colombo for 10 years under two different governments and is a feat that has not yet been broken. Weerakoon was also the youngest appointed government agent, to the District of Puttalam in 1978. The government agent is the administrative had of public services in the district. The post is one of the oldest in the civil service as it had been established by the British during the colonial era. Weerakoon is the current add. private secretary to the president of Sri Lanka.

## Education

Weerakoon was educated at Weerakatiya Central School, where he passed the Senior School Certificate in English Medium 1st Shy. Weerakoon was the only student to do so in Hambantota District in 1956.
In 1957, Weerakoon entered the Tellijawila Central College, where he successfully completed the Higher School Certificate. He was ranked 40th from the country and entered the University of Ceylon in 1959.
At the age of 22, he graduated from the University of Ceylon with Honours in geography and was appointed as a graduate teacher in the same year. Later at the age of 25, Weerakoon was promoted as the principal of Tangalle Maha Vidyalaya.
Weerakoon completed his postgraduate studies at The Hague University in Netherlands, the University of Hawaiʻi in United States and at the United Nations Asia and Far East Institute (UNAFEI) in Japan.

## Sri Lanka Administrative Service

Weerakoon passed the Ceylon Civil Service entrance exam in 1967, when 30,000 graduates sat this tough exam and only 70 were successful in passing. In the 1970s the Ceylon Civil Service was abolished and replaced with the Sri Lanka Administrative Service. Weerakoon after 10 years of service in the SLAS, became a Class 1 SLAS Officer.
Weerakoon has since held number of senior positions in the SLAS and notably the below:
* 1978–1982 government agent for Puttalam District
* 1982–1982 commissioner general of the Department of Probation and Child Care Services
* 1982–1986 director general of the Sri Lanka School of Social Work
* 1986–1987 additional secretary to the Ministry of Security for Commercial & Industrial Establishments
* 1990–1999 government agent for Colombo District
* 1990–1999 additional secretary to the Cabinet Ministry of Public Administration and Home Affairs
* 1999–2000 permanent secretary to the Cabinet Ministry of Plantation Industries
Weerakoon has been a consultant, an advisor and chairman to a number of private-sector firms, corporations, boards and commissions, some of which are as follows:
* chairman of the Urban Development Authority of Sri Lanka
* chairman of the Environmental Council of Sri Lanka
* chairman of the Vocational Council of Sri Lanka
* chairman of the Fair Trading Commission
* consultant to the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka

## Family

Sanath is the eldest son from 8 siblings who were born to Don Johannes Rathnayake Weerakoon and Dona Rosalind Moonesinghe.
Sanath's Grandparents were Don Nicholas Rathnayake Weerakoon & Dona Abeysekeara Pathiranalage Gimara.
Sanath Weerakoon married Asoka Palihena in 1972 and they have three children: Thushani, Dushan and Janake.