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Top JVP duo as government monitors
JVP Propaganda Secretary Wimal Weerawansa and politburo member Nandana Gunatillake who declined to accept portfolios in the new Cabinet will head a party committee to monitor functions of the new UPFA government, JVP sources said.

This committee has been instructed to ensure that the UPFA government would implement the policies outlined in the March 11 manifesto titled "Rata Perata". The sources said the JVP also had other plans to keep a check on the government to ensure that it carried out its functions in keeping with UPFA policies.

Among the conditions, the JVP is to insist that family members of ministers must not be appointed to their personal staff and that there must be a limitation on such staff.

The sources said the JVP had also protested when President Chandrika Kumaratunga earlier this week started making appointments to key posts without consulting the JVP.

They said that according to the third memorandum of understanding between the SLFP and the JVP, a committee comprising representatives of both parties was to decide on top appointments. But this had not been observed. Therefore, the JVP was calling for the immediate appointment of this committee.

Accordingly, President Kumaratunga has nominated her team to the committee which will assess the appointment and progress of top public officials. This committee is likely to meet once a month.

The President has nominated Mangala Samaraweera, Lakshman Kadirgamar, Mano Tittawella, P.B. Jayasundara and Lalith De Mel while the JVP team will comprise Mr. Weerawansa and Mr. Gunatillake.

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