Nine more Cabinet Ministers sworn in

Nine more new Cabinet Ministers were sworn in before President Gotabaya Rajapaksa today at President’s  House. 

The new nine appointments of the Cabinet of Ministers in addition to four Cabinet Ministers who were sworn in shortly after Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe assumed duties.

Among the new Cabinet Ministers, two outspoken Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Parliamentarians Harin Fernando and Manusha Nanayakkara secured Cabinet portfolios of the Ministry of Tourism and Land and the Ministry of Labour and Foreign Employment respectively.

The crossing over of two SJB stalwarts was widely speculated in political circles in recent weeks as they expressed severe concerns about the capability of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to govern the country and called for resignation in the recent past as well. 

Even though Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) was engaged in backdoor discussions with the government to secure at least four Cabinet portfolios, only one senior SLPE member Nimal Sripala De Silva appointed as Minister of Ports and Aviation.

SJB MP Lakshman Kiriella told in Parliament today that disciplinary action will be taken against the two MPs who extended their support to the government by accepting Cabinet portfolios. 

Prime Minister Wickremesinghe had already indicated that the new Cabinet will consist of twenty Cabinet Ministers. Rest of the Cabinet appointments are expected to be made by early next week.

Following is the list of the new Ministers:

Nimal Siripala : Ports and Aviation

Keheliya Rambukwella : Health

Ramesh Pathirana : Plantation

Susil Premajayantha – Education

Wijedasa Rajapakse – Justice Minister

Tiran Alles – Public Security

Harin Fernando – Tourism & Land

Manusha Nanayakkara – Labour & Foreign Employment

Nalin Fernando – Trade