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Two-party consensual Govt. appoints expanded Cabinet with only 2 women
View(s):The second Cabinet of Minister’s appointed by President Maithripala Sirisena is a mix of senior Parliamentarians as well as first time entrants to Cabinet rank, drawn from the United National Party (UNP) and the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP).
The UNP led United National Front for Good Governance (UNFGG) got 32 portfolios while the SLFP got 11 in the Cabinet sworn in on Friday. Five more are to be appointed on Monday, one from the UNFGG and four from the SLFP.
Three MPs who were elected to Parliament from the UNP National List were elevated to Cabinet rank, while two SLFP MPs from the National List made it to the Cabinet.The three UNP legislators are D.M. Swaminathan who retained his Ministry of Rehabilitation, Resettlement and Hindu Religious Affairs, M.K.D.S. Gunawardena who was appointed Minister of Lands, and Thilak Marapona who was made Minister of Law and Order and Prison Reforms.
The two SLFP MPs from the National List who were appointed Ministers are S.B. Dissanayaka as Minister of Social Empowerment and Welfare, and Mahinda Samarasinghe as Minister of Professional Development and Vocational Training.
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe who is Minister of Policy Planning and Economic Affairs and Gamini Jayawickrema Perera who is Minister of Sustainable Development and Wildlife, are the two most senior Parliamentarians in the Cabinet of Ministers, having first entered Parliament in 1977.
John Amaratunga who was appointed Minister of Tourism Development and Christian Affairs too is among the seniors having first entered Parliament in 1978, as the first appointed MP under the new Constitution. The youngest member in the Cabinet is 36-year-old Duminda Dissanayake who was appointed Minister of Agriculture.
Among the first time entrants to Cabinet rank are two former Chief Ministers, namely Harin Fernando who was appointed Minister of Telecommunications and Digital Infrastructure, who at 37 years is the second youngest member of the Cabinet, and Dayasiri Jayasekera who was appointed Minister of Sports. Other newcomers to Cabinet rank are UNP Colombo District MP Mano Ganeshan as Minister of National Dialogue, UNP Digamadulla MP Daya Gamage who was appointed Minister of Primary Industries, UNP Matara District MP Sagala Ratnayaka who is Minister of Southern Development and UPFA Galle district MP and former Deputy Speaker Chandima Weerakkody as Minister of Petroleum and Petroleum Gas.
Only two women lawmakers made it to the Cabinet. Chandrani Bandara retained her portfolio of Minister of Women and Children’s Affairs, while Talatha Athukorala retained her post as Minister of Foreign Employment.
Foreign Minister Managala Samaraweera took his oaths a few days earlier.
