What is wrong with a Buddhist monk being in a company’s Board of Directors, questioned Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake at a media briefing at the ministry this morning (25 February).

He was responding to a question from the media on the appointment of a Buddhist monk, Venerable Theeniyawala Palitha Thera to the Board of Directors of Lanka Hospitals PLC.

When pointed out that it is a first in the history of the Colombo Stock Exchange, Minister Karunanayake replied, “Yes, we are a government which creates records.”

The Board of Directors at Lanka Hospitals PLC, which comes under the purview of the Finance Ministry, was replaced by the new government. Venerable Theeniyawala Palitha Thera too has been included in the new 13 member Board of Directors.

Thus, Lanka Hospitals PLC enters history as the first Listed Company at the Colombo Stock Exchange to have a Buddhist monk on its Board of Directors.

Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake said on 20 February that a 13 member Board of Directors, including Dr. Sarath Paranavithana as Chairman, Deputy Secretary of the Sri Lanka Mahabodhi Society Ven. Theeniyawala Palitha Thera and Dilani Lokuhetti have been nominated and would be announced within a few days.