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Who’s who in the interim cabinet
View(s):Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa
Minister of Finance, Economic Affairs, Policy Development, Buddha Sasana, Cultural, Water Supply & Urban Development, Housing Facilities.
Born on November 18, 1945 in Weeraketiya
Passed out as an Attorney at Law from the Sri Lanka Law College in 1977.
In 1970, at the age of 24, Rajapaksa became Sri Lanka’s youngest-ever Member of Parliament.
After losing in the 1977 elections he re-entered Parliament in 1989, representing the Hambantota district.
Rajapaksa served as Labour Minister (1994–2001) and Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Minister (1997–2001).
In 2004 President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga appointed Rajapaksa as Prime Minister
In 2005 he was elected as President and in 2010 was re-elected to the same post.
After his defeat at the January 2015 presidential election, he contested the parliamentary elections from the Kurunegala district and entered Parliament.
During the 52-day political crisis last year he was named as the PM.
He was appointed as the Opposition Leader on, December 18, 2018.
He was re-appointed as Prime Minister on Thursday.
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Chamal Rajapaksa
Minister of Mahaweli Development, Agriculture &Trade
Born on October 30 ,1942
Studied at Richmand College -Galle
He was a former Police
Officer .
Entered Parliament in 1989 from Hambantota District
He was Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Lands, Deputy Minister of Ports and Southern Province Development, Deputy Minister of Plantation Industries,
He was Minister of Agriculture Development, Minister of Irrigation and Water Management and
Minister of Ports and Aviation Services.
In 2010, he was elected as the Speaker of the Seventh Republican Parliament.
Dinesh Gunawardene
Minister of Foreign Relations, Skills Development, Employment & Labour Relations
Leader of the MEP
Born on March 2,1949 .
Entered Parliament in 1983 through a by election in Maharagama.
Joined the People’s Alliance in 2000
Appointed as the Minister of Transport in 2000
In 2004 he was elected and was appointed as the Minister of Urban Development and Water Supply and Deputy Minister of Education
In 2007 he was Minister of Urban Development and Sacred Area Development but lost his deputy ministerial position.
In 2008 he was appointed as the Chief Government Whip.
In 2010 parliamentary elections he was appointed as the Minister of Water Supply and Drainage.
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Nimal Siripala de Silva
Minister of Justice, Human Rights & Legal Reforms
Born on September 6, 1944
He qualified as a Solicitor in the UK.
He is an Attorney-at- Law.
Was the leader of the opposition in the Colombo Municipal Council in 1983.
Elected as a Member of Parliament in 1989 from the Colombo District.
He held the portfolios of Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation and Minister of Healthcare and Nutrition
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Ramesh Pathirana
Minister of Plantations & Export Agriculture
Born in 1969 he is the youngest minister in the Gotabaya Govt.
He was educated at Richmond College, Galle and University of Peradeniya.
A physician by profession he is the son of Dr. Richard Pathirana former Education and Higher Education minister.
He has been appointed to the cabinet for the first time.
Bandula Gunawardene
Minister of Information & Communications Technology, Higher Education, Technology & Innovations
Born on March 15, 1953.
Primary education at Roman Catholic School in Mawalgama and for secondary education he entered Rajasinghe Central College, Hanwella.
He graduated from the University of Sri Jayewardenepura.
Elected to Parliament in 1989.
Joined the Opposition party in 2000.
Held the portfolios of Minister of Education, Minister of Trade, Marketing Development & Consumer Affairs, Rural Economic Affairs, and also under the UNP government Deputy Minister of Finance.
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Mahinda Amaraweera
Minister of Passenger Transport, Power & Energy
Born on February 12,1962
Actively participated in politics since his schooldays at Dickwella Vijitha Central College.
He first represented the Southern Provincial Council.
Entered Parliament from the National List in 2001
General Secretary of the United People’s Freedom Alliance.
Held the portfolios of Minister of Agriculture, Water Supply .
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Pavithra Devi Wanniarachchi
Minister of Women & Child Affairs, Social Security, Health & Indigenous Medicine.
Born on November 10, 1964
By profession an Attorney at Law.
In 1993 she was a provincial council member.
Entered Parliament in 1994.
Held the portfolios of Minister of Power & Energy ,Minister of Technology & Research
Minister of Cultural Affairs & National Heritage, Minister of Youth Affairs ,Minister of Samurdhi & Poverty Alleviation , and Minister of Plan & Implementation .
Janaka Bandara Tennakoon
Minister of Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils & Local Government.
Born on April 10,1953 .
Son of former minister T.B. Tennakoon.
Educated at Dharmaraja College, Kandy.
He is a former police inspector.
Elected as a Member of Parliament in 1994 and served as the Deputy Minister of labour.
He was the Minister of Lands and Land Development and also the Minister of Cultural Affairs and Social Services.
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Dullas Alahapperuma
Minister of Education, Sports and Youth Affairs
Born on May 14, 1959
He served as an Editor of Diwayina and Lakmina newspapers.
Entered politics from the Parliamentary election in 1994.
Served as a Minister of the Southern Province.
Entered Parliament from the National list in 2005.
He was a former Cabinet Minister of Youth Affairs and Skills Development also the Deputy Minister of Samurdhi and Cultural Affairs under Chandrika Bandaranaike’s Government.
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Wimal Weerawansa
Minister of Small Medium Enterprise(SME) & Enterprise Development, Industries & Supply Management
Born on March 7, 1970.
Educated at Tissa Central College in Kalutara
Joined the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) during his schooldays.
He was the JVP’s district leader for Colombo
He entered Parliament in 2000.
He was an active political journalist in newspapers such as Lakmina , Lakdiwa, and Hiru.
He was appointed as the Minister of Construction, Engineering Services, Housing and Common Amenities.
Douglas Devananda
Minister of Fisheries & Aquatic Resources.
Born on November 11,1957
Leader of the EPDP which opposed the LTTE.
Entered mainstream politics in 1994 and was also elected to Parliament from the Jaffna district the same year.
He served as the Minister of Development, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction of the North, and Tamil Affairs, North and East and also as the Minister for Social Service and Social Welfare.
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Johnston Fernando
Minister of Roads & Highways, Ports & Shipping
Born on December 5, 1964.
Started his carrier as a Councillor in the Kurunegala Municipal Council
Entered Parliament in 2000
Held the portfolios of Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs Ministry, Minister of lands, land development and Armed Forces welfare and Minister of Co-operative & Internal.
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Prasanna Ranatunga
Minister of Industrial Exports & Investment Promotions, Tourism & Aviation
Born on January 1, 1967
Served as the 7th Chief Minister of the Western Province
He is the brother of former Sri Lanka Cricket captain Arjuna Ranatunga.
He entered Parliament in 2015 from the Gampaha District as an opposition member.
He is serving the cabinet for the first time.
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Arumugan Thondaman
Minister of Community Empowerment & Estate Infrastructure
Born on May 29, 1964
He is a grandson of S. Thondaman and is the current leader of the Ceylon Worker’s Congress.
Entered Parliament in 1994 from Nuwara Eliya District.
He is the former Cabinet Minister of Livestock and Rural Community Development.
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S. M. Chandrasena, M.P.
Born in May 3, 1955
Entered Parliament in 2001 elected from the Anuradhapura District
2004–2007 was cabinet Minister of Agriculture
2007–2010 Non-Cabinet Minister of Nation Building
2010 -Deputy Minister of Irrigation & Water Resources Management
