Claims of "Special Secretary" Appointment for Hassana Segu Issadeen Are False

Following the appointment of Dr. Harini Amarasuriya as Prime Minister, a wave of social media posts has emerged, targeting her with various claims. These posts have circulated misinformation and unfounded allegations, often misrepresenting her statements or actions.

Social Media Posts

Social media is currently abuzz with claims that Hassana Segu Issadeen, a legal counsellor, has been appointed to a newly created position as "Special Secretary" by the Prime Minister. Many posts mock the alleged creation of this unconventional position, suggesting that it is fabricated or unnecessary. We investigated these claims to verify their authenticity.

Fact Check :

No Mainstream Media Reports

First, we conducted a search through reputed mainstream media outlets to verify whether any credible news source reported on a position titled "Special Secretary" within the Prime Minister's office. No reports or announcements were found that corroborated the existence of such a position.

Contact with Prime Minister’s Office

To clarify the situation, we reached out to Vijitha Basnayake, the Media Secretary to the Prime Minister. According to Ms. Basnayake, Hassana Segu Issadeen is indeed a member of the Prime Minister’s personal staff. However, she holds the title of Coordinating Secretary, not "Special Secretary" as alleged in social media posts.

Clarification of Positions

Ms. Basnayake further elaborated that the Prime Minister’s office currently has only three members serving as secretarial staff:

Ms. Basnayake herself as the Media Secretary,

Hassana Segu Issadeen as the Coordinating Secretary, and

Ms. Syamalee Perera as the Private Secretary.

There is no position titled "Special Secretary" within the Prime Minister's office.

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Conclusion:

The claims circulating on social media that Hassana Segu Issadeen was appointed as a "Special Secretary" by the Prime Minister are false. She holds the role of a Coordinating Secretary on the Prime Minister's personal staff, and no such position as "Special Secretary" exists. This misinformation appears to have been created to mock the Prime Minister’s office without any factual basis.