July 27, Colombo: Sri Lanka's Minister of Tourism Milinda Moragoda has appointed Bernard Goonetilleke, former Ambassador to the United States, to succeed H.M.G.S. Pallihakkara as the new Chairman of the Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management (SLITHM) effective from Aug. 1.

Goonetilleke is a senior career diplomat and former Secretary to the Foreign Ministry who served as Ambassador to China and to the United Nations in Geneva amongst other significant posts. More recently he has been acting Ambassador to the United Nations in New York. He was the first Secretary General to the Secretariat for the Coordination of the Peace Process (SCOPP).

Pallihakkara has been named as Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations in New York.