News
New Ministers sworn in before President Gotabaya Rajapaksa
Cabinet Ministers
1. His Excellency President Gotabaya Rajapaksa – Defence
2. Hon. Mahinda Rajapaksa – Finance
3. Hon. Mahinda Rajapaksa – Buddha Sasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs
4. Hon. Mahinda Rajapaksa – Urban Development and Housing
5. Nimal Siripala De Silva – Labour
6. G.L Peiris – Education
7. Pavithradevi Wanniarachchi – Health
8. Dinesh Gunawardena – Foreign Relations
9. Douglas Devananda – Fisheries
10. Gamini Lokuge – Transport
11. Bandula Gunawardena – Trade
12. R.M.C.B. Rathnayake – Wildlife and Forest Conservation
13. Janaka Bandara Tennakoon – Public Services, Provincial Councils and Local Government
14. Keheliya Rambukwella – Mass Media
15. Chamal Rajapaksa – Irrigation
16. Dullas Alahapperuma – Power
17. Johnston Fernando – Highways
18. Wimal Weerawansa – Industries
19. Mahinda Amaraweera – Environment
20. S.M. Chandrasena – Land
21. Mahindananda Aluthgamage – Agriculture
22. Vasudeva Nanayakkara – Water Supply
23. Udaya Prabhath Gammanpila – Energy
24. Ramesh Pathirana – Plantation
25. Prasanna Ranatunga – Tourism
26. Rohitha Abeygunawardena – Ports and Shipping
27. Namal Rajapaksa – Youth and Sports Affairs
28. PC Ali Sabry – Justice
State Ministers
1. Chamal Rajapaksa – Internal Security, Home Affairs and Disaster Management
2. Piyankara Jayaratne – Foreign Employment Promotions and Market Diversification
3. Duminda Dissanayake – Solar, Wind, Grid Power Generation Projects Development
4. Dayasiri Jayasekara -Batik, Handloom Fabrics and Local Apparel Products
5. Lasantha Alagiyawanna – Cooperative Services, Marketing Development and Consumer Protection
6. Sudarshani Fernandopulle -Prisons Reforms and Prisoners’ Rehabilitation
7. Arundika Fernando – Coconut, Fishtail Palm, Palmyra and Rubber product Promotion and Allied Industrial Production and Export Diversification
8. Nimal Lansa – Rural Road and other Infrastructure Facilities
9. Jayantha Samaraweera – Warehouse Facilities, Container Yards, Port Supply Facilities and Boats and Shipping Industry Development
10. Roshan Ranasinghe – Land Management Affairs, State Business Lands and Property Development
11. Kanaka Herath – Company Establishment Reforms, Tea Estate Crops, Tea Factory Modernization and Tea Export Diversification
12. Vidura Wickramanayake – Promotion of National Heritage, Performing Arts and Rural Artists
13. Janaka Wakkumbura – Development of Sugarcane, Maize, Cashew, Pepper, Cinnamon, Cloves, Betel Production and Promotion of Allied Products and Export
14. Vijitha Berugoda – Dhamma Schools, Bhikku Education, Pirivenas and Buddhist Universities
15. Shehan Semasinghe – Development of Samurdhi Home Economy, Microfinance, Self-Employment and Businesses and Under-Utilized State Resources
16. Mohan de Silva – Regulation of Fertilizer Production and Supply, use of Chemical Fertilizers and Pesticides
17. Lohan Ratwatte – Gem and Jewelry related Industries
18. Dilum Amunugama – Vehicle Regulation, Bus Transport Services and Carriages and Automotive Industries
19. Wimalaweera Dissanayake – Wildlife Conservation Protection Programmes including Electric Fence and Ditch Construction and Re-Forestation and Wildlife Resources Development
20. Tharaka Balasooriya – Regional Cooperation
21. Indika Anurudda – Rural Home Construction and Building Materials Industry Promotion
22. Kanchana Wijesekera – Ornamental Fish, Freshwater Fish and Shrimp Farming Development, Multi-day Fishing and Fish Export
23. Sanath Nishantha – Development of Rural and Regional Drinking Water Supply Projects
24. Siripala Gamlath – Development of Common Infrastructure Facilities of Settlements and Canals in Mahaweli Zones
25. Sarath Weerasekara – Provincial Councils and Local Government Affairs
26. Anuradha Jayaratne – Development of Rural Paddy Fields and Associated Tanks, Reservoirs and Irrigation
27. Sadasivam Viyalendran – Professional Development of Postal Services and Mass Media
28. Thenuka Vidanagamage – Rural and School Sports Infrastructure Promotion
29. Sisira Jayakody – Promotion of Indigenous Medicine, Development of Rural Ayurvedic Hospitals and Community Health
30. Piyal Nishantha de Silva – Women and Child Development, Pre-School and Primary Education, School Infrastructure and School Services
31. Prasanna Ranaweera – Cane, Brass, Clay Furniture and Rural Industry Promotion
32. D. V. Chanaka – Development of Aviation and Export Zones
33. D. B. Herath – Livestock and Farm Promotion and Dairy and Eggs Related Industries
34. Shasheendra Rajapaksa – Paddy and Cereals, Organic Food, Vegetables, Fruits, Chilies, Onions and Potatoes, Seed Production and High Tech Agriculture
35. Nalaka Godahewa – Urban Development, Coast Conservation, Waste Disposal and Public Sanitation
36. Jeewan Thondaman – Estate Housing and Community Infrastructure Facilities
37. Ajith Nivard Cabraal – Finance and Capital Markets and Public Enterprise Reforms
38. Seetha Arambepola – Skills Development, Vocational Education, Research and Innovation
39. Channa Jayasumana – Pharmaceutical Production, Supply and Regulation
District Coordinating Committee Chairmen:
1. Pradeep Udugoda – Colombo
2. Sahan Pradeep Vithana – Gampaha
3. Sanjeewa Edirimanna – Kalutara
4. Wasantha Yapa Bandara -Kandy
5. N. Nalaka Bandara Kottegoda – Matale
6. S.B. Dissanayake – Nuwara Eliya
7. Sampath Athukorala – Galle
8. Nipuna Ranawaka -Matara
9. Upul Galappaththi -Hambantota
10. Angajan Ramanathan -Jaffna
11. Douglas Devananda -Kilinochchi
12. K. Dileepa – Vavuniya
13 K. Kader Masthan -Mannar and Mullaitivu
14. D. Weerasinghe – Ampara
15. Kapila Athukorala -Trincomalee
16 Gunapala Rathnasekara -Kurunegala
17. Ashoka Priyantha – Puttalam
18. H. Nandasena -Anuradhapura
19. Amarakeerthi Athukorala – Polonnaruwa
20. Sudarshana Denipitiya – Badulla
21. Kumarasiri Rathnayaka – Monaragala
22. Akila Ellawala – Ratnapura
23 Rajika Wickramasinghe – Kegalla
Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force (JMSDF) MURASAME arrived at the Port of Colombo on a replenishment visit this morning (22 Mar 25).
The visiting ship was welcomed by the Sri Lanka Navy in compliance with naval traditions.
JMSDF MURASAME is a 151m long Destroyer commanded by Commander HAYAKAWA Masahiro. Meanwhile, she is manned by a crew of 200.
During her stay in Colombo, crew members of the ship are expected to visit some tourist attractions in the city of Colombo and the ship is scheduled to depart the island on 25 Mar 25.
It has been reported that two persons riding a motorcycle were killed in a shooting incident that took place around 11.45pm on Friday [21] night , in front of the southern entrance of the Devundara Sri Vishnu Devalaya, on Sinhasana Road.
The unidentified gunmen, who arrived in a van, opened fire using a T-56 assault rifle and 9 mm firearms before fleeing the scene. The police have recovered 39 T-56 bullet casings, two T-56 rounds of live ammunition, a T-56 magazine, three 9 mm bullet casings, and one 9mm live ammunition.
The van suspected to have been used by the shooters was found abandoned and set on fire on a side road about 800 meters from the crime scene.
The two deceased victims have been identified as Tikira Hennedige Yomesh Nadishan and Marakkala Manage Pasidu Tharuka, both residents of Sinhasana Road, Devinuwara.
Matale Dirstrict SJB MP Rohini Kumari Wijerathna yesterday tabled a list in Parliament naming 1,300 members, leaders, trade unionists, and activists of the UNP, who were allegedly assassinated by the JVP. The list was submitted during a parliamentary session as part of the government’s ongoing effort to document victims of political violence.
Along with the names of the victims, MP Wijerathna also introduced over 900 family members of the alleged victims, providing further context to the extent of the violence.
Speaking during the session, MP Wijerathna stated, “Child soldiers were recruited by the JVP even before the LTTE. ‘Kantale Bonikki,’ a 13-year-old child was used to murder a 70-year-old female UNP supporter.” She accused the JVP of using children to kill numerous UNP members during the JVP’s second insurgency.
The MP said that names not included in the current list would be submitted during the upcoming “Batalanda Debate” in April.
MP Wijerathna invited the public, via her Facebook page to submit further details on family members affected by political violence to ensure their inclusion in the extended record.
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