Colombo, February 25 (newsin.asia): In the partial Sri Lankan cabinet reshuffle which took place on Sunday, Ranil Wickremesinghe retains his position as Prime Minister with additional charge of Law and Order.
The changes in the National Unity Government (UNG) Council of Ministers announced thus far, pertain only to ministers from only one party, namely, the United National Party (UNP).
Changes in the portfolios held by ministers from other alliance parties such as the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) headed by President Maithripala Sirisesna ,will be announced in two weeks’ time.
There had been a serious attempt on the part of the SLFP, to oust Wickremesinghe from the Premiership. Bu the move failed because the 19 th.amendment of the constitution does not allow the President to sack a Prime Minister so long as he has majority support in parliament.
Law and Order was previously with Sagala Ratnayake, a close associate Wickremesinghe’s, but he had come under flak for not pursuing vigorously enough the cases against key members of the former Mahinda Rajapaksa regime.
Ratnayake however retains the Southern Province Development portfolio and has in addition taken the Youth Affairs portfolio.
A total of ten portfolios have changed hands including six Cabinet portfolios, three State Minister portfolios and one Deputy Minister portfolio. All the ministers belong to the UNP.
Here are the Ministers and their portfolios:
Ranil Wickemasinghe: Prime Minister and Cabinet Minister of Law and Order
Laxman Kiriella: Cabinet Minister of State Enterprise and Kandy Development
Kabir Hashim: Cabinet Minister of Higher Education and Highways
Piyasena Gamage: New State Minister Youth Affairs and Southern Development.
Ravindra Samaraweera: Cabinet Minister of Wildlife & Sustainable Development
Harin Fernando: Cabinet Minister of Digital Infrastructure & Foreign Employment
Sagala Ratnayake: the new Cabinet Minister of Youth Affairs and Southern Development
Ajith P. Perera: State Minister of Prisons and Rehabilitation
C. Alawathuwala: Deputy Minister of Home Affairs
Dr Harsha de Silva: State Minister of National Policies and Economic Affairs
Other changes including those involving persons from other alliance partners will be announced later.
(The featured image at the top shows ministers from the UNP who are in in the first phase of the Lankan cabinet reshuffle)
