19 State Ministers and 21 Deputy Ministers took oaths today (9th). Accordingly the total number of State and Deputy Ministers sworn-in today is 40. 3 Deputy Minsters were not present to take oath. The absentees are Siripala Gamlath, Anuradha Lanka Jayaratne and Sarathee Dushmantha.
The Swearing-in ceremony was held this aftrenoon at the Presidential Secretariat presided by President Maithripala Sirisena. State Ministers swore-in first.
The list of State Ministers:
1. H. M. Fowzie – National Integration and Reconciliation
2. Dilan Perera – Highways
3. T. B. Ekanayake – Lands
4. Priyankara Jayaratne – Law and Order & Prison Reforms
5. Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena – Finance
6. Ravindra Samaraweera – Labour and Trade Union Relations
7. V. Radhakrishnan – Education
8. Palitha Range Bandara – Skills Development & Vocational Training
9. Dilip Wedaarachchi – Fisheries & Aquatic Resources
10. Niroshan Perera – National Policy and Economic Affairs
11. Ruwan Wijewardene – Defence
12. M.L.A.M. Hizbullah – Rehabilitation and Resettlement
13. Mohan Lal Grero – University Education
14. Sujeewa Senasinghe – International Trade
15. Wasantha Senanayake – Irrigation and Water Resource Management
16. Vijayakala Maheswaran – Child Affairs
17. Wasantha Aluwihare – Agriculture
18. Sudarshani Fernandopulle – City Planning and Water Supply
19. Champika Premadasa – Industries and Commerce
List of Deputy Ministers:
1. Sumedha G. Jayasena - Sustainable Development & Wildlife
3 more cabinet Ministers and 40 state and deputy ministers sworn in today
Three more cabinet ministers and 43 State and Deputy Ministers were appointed today.
Vijith Vijayamuni Soyza who was appointed the Irrigation and Water Management Minister said that he would use his ministry to serve the people.
Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Power and Renewable Energy Ajith P Perera said that he was offered a ministry where he can serve the people.
Deputy Minister of Disaster Management Dunesh Gankanda said that he would be able to render a great service to the people of Ratnapura.
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3 more cabinet ministers were sworn in this morning before President Maithripala Sirisena.
Accordingly, Vijith Vijayamuni Zoysa, Faizer Mustafa and Malik Samarawickrama took oath as Irrigation and Water Management, Provincial Council and Local Government and Development strategies and International Commerce ministers respectively.
Meanwhile 45 state ministers will be sworn at 2 o’clock this afternoon at the Presidential Secretariat.
The Parliament had approved 48 Cabinet portfolios and 45 state and deputy ministers only, and 47 ministers have already taken oaths by this morning.
One more ministry still remains vacant to complete the 48 numbers of cabinet portfolios of the new government. If the President’s ministerial portfolio is ignored, two more could be sworn in as cabinet ministers.
Earlier the president said at the cabinet ministers swearing in ceremony that 15 cabinet portfolios are entitled to SLFP. 11 ministers representing the SLFP swore in that day and the total number of SLFP ministers is 12. Vijith Vijayamuni Zoysa and Faizer Mustafa who took oath today represent the SLFP and accordingly the number of ministerial portfolios claimed by the SLFP is 14. Therefore most probably the remaining one or two ministerial portfolios could go to MPs of the SLFP.
At the same time, 33 UNP cabinet ministers including the Prime Minister and Malik Samarawickrama have taken oaths so far.
Minister of Irrigation and Water Management – Vijith Vijithamuni Soysa
Minister of Provincial Councils and Local Government – Fyzer Musthafa
Minister of Development Strategies and International Trade – Malik Samarawickrama