President holds Finance, Defence portfolios pending formation of all-party govt.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe would hold Defence, Finance and other Cabinet portfolios that have not been assigned so far, until the formation of an all-party government, ministerial sources told The Island yesterday.

 That would be in line with the Constitution, sources said, adding that there was no time bar for the President to hold such portfolios. The government was keen to conclude talks on an all -party arrangement as soon as possible, they said.

Ports and Shipping as well as Investment Promotion portfolios, previously held by SLFPer Nimal Siripala de Silva, and businessman Dhammika Perera, remain vacant, pending conclusion of investigations into alleged bribery allegation in the case of lawmaker de Silva and possible agreement on an all-party government, political sources said.

 In addition Defence, previously held by Gotabaya Rajapaksa, remains vacant, along with Finance which previously was under the then Prime Minister Wickremesinghe. The Women’s Affairs Ministry, too, remains without a minister.

Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena is in charge of Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Council, and Local Government.

Other ministers are Douglas Devananda (Fisheries), Susil Premajayantha (Education), Bandula Gunawardena (Transport & Highways, and Media), Keheliya Rambukwella (Health and Water Supply), Mahinda Amaraweera (Agriculture, Wildlife, and Forest Conservations), Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe (Justice, Prisons, and Constitutional Reforms), Harin Fernando (Tourism and Lands), Ramesh Pathirana (Plantations and Industries), Prasanna Ranatunga (Urban Development and Housing), Ali Sabry (External Affairs), Vidura Wickramanayake (Buddha Sasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs), Kanchana Wijesekera (Power and Energy), Naseer Ahamed (Environment), Roshan Ranasinghe (Sports and Youth Affairs, and Irrigation), Manusha Nanayakkara (Labour and Foreign Employment), Tiran Alles (Public Security) and Nalin Fernando (Trade, Commerce and Food Security).