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
2. Susantha Punchinilame – Public Administration and Management 
3. Ameer Ali – Rural Economy
4. Lasantha Alagiyawanna – Megapolice and Western Development 
5. Indika Bandaranaike – Housing and Construction 
6. Dulip Wijesekara – Post, Postal Services and Muslim Affairs 
7. Lakshaman Wasantha Perera – Plantation Industries 
8. Nishantha Muthuhettigama – Ports and Shipping 
9. Faizal Kasim – Health, Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine 
10. Dunesh Gankanda – Disaster Management 
11. Dr. Harsha de Silva – Foreign Affairs 
12. Ashoka Abeysinghe – Transport 
13. Arundika Fernando – Tourism Promotion and Christian Affairs
14. Ranjan Ramanayake – Social Empowerment & Welfare
15. Ajith P. Perera – Power and Renewable Energy 
16. Nimal Lansa – Home Affairs 
17. Anoma Gamage – Petroleum and Petroleum Gas
18. Eran Wickramaratne – State Enterprise Development 
19. Tharanath Basnayake – Telecommunication and Digital Infrastructure 
20. Karunarathna Paranawithana - Local Government and Provincial Councils 
21. Mohamed Haris – Sports 

 

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