BOI chair’s request for resignation making very little headway

By Sanath Nanayakkare

Sanjaya Mohottala, Chairman of the Board of Investment of Sri Lanka (BOI) has reiterated his desire to step down from his post, at a meeting held with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa last week, according to press release issued by the BOI.

The Chairman further said that he was grateful to the President for placing highest confidence in him and the Board by requesting them to continue to serve and contribute effectively to promote foreign investments, to help the post- COVID economic transformation of Sri Lanka.

However, the Chairman has informed the President about his desire to be released from his duties.

He requested for a new leadership team to be appointed, so that they could continue with the efforts already made to further improve the services offered to investors, and thereby realise the vision set out by the government of Sri Lanka to double its GDP over a decade.

BOI chairman tendered his resignation on December 1. He said on December 5 that the President had rejected his letter of resignation.

At the above meeting with the President, BOI Chairman has again communicated his wish to resign from the post, a source familiar with the matter told The Island Financial Review (IFR), yesterday.

Another source connected to the BOI told the IFR that the Chairman had not showed up at his office for more than a week.

Previously, several prominent members of the Board of Directors of the Board of Investment stepped down from their positions and informed the President as well.