News
Prez takes defence
SLPP bags lion’s share of ministries
Ex-president Sirisena an ordinary MP
Newcomer Sabry receives justice portfolio
Four members of Rajapaksa family in Cabinet
Wijeyadasa rejects state ministry
Former TNA MP now a state minister
Several Viyathmaga members made ministers
By Shamindra Ferdinando
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who is also the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces yesterday (12) took the defence portfolio although the 19th Amendment to the Constitution bars the President from holding any portfolio.
The 19th Amendment enacted in early 2015 repealed Article 44 (2), which enabled the President to hold any number of portfolios.
President Rajapaksa refrained from assuming defence portfolio when he appointed a smaller interim Cabinet last November in the run-up to the Aug 5 parliamentary election.
Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa was among 25 ministers who took oaths before President Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the Magul Maduwa of Dalada Maligawa. In addition to them, 40 received appointments as State Ministers.
The President’s Office on Monday (10) issued a gazette notification with a list of 28 ministries and 40 state ministries.
Of those who had received cabinet portfolios, 17 represent the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP). Other ministries were shared by SLFP 2 (Nimal Siripala de Silva and Mahinda Amaraweera), MEP (Dinesh Gunawardena), EPDP (Douglas Devananda), NFF (Wimal Weerawansa), DLF (Vasudeva Nanayakkara) and PHU (Udaya Prabath Gammanpila).
Among the Cabinet of ministers were two members SLPP National List members, Prof. G. L. Peiris, Chairman of the party and Ali Sabry, PC.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa accommodated Sabry in his Cabinet as the Justice Minister.
The Cabinet includes four Rajapaksas, the President (Defence), the Prime Minister (Finance, Buddha Sasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs and Urban Development and Housing), Chamal Rajapaksa (Irrigation) and Namal Rajapaksa (Youth Affairs and Sports). In addition to them, Shasheendra Rajapaksa received appointment as State Minister of Paddy and Cereals, Organic Food, Vegetables, Fruits, Chillies, Onions and Potatoes, Seed Production and High Tech Agriculture.
Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapaksa, PC, declined to accept post of a State Minister as he expected a Cabinet portfolio. Wijeyadasa Rajapaksa contested the recently-concluded general election from Colombo on the SLPP ticket after switching his allegiance to President Rajapaksa. He entered Parliament on the UNP ticket at the previous general election.
One-time Justice Minister was not available for comment.
Chamal Rajapaksa, in addition to being the minister of irrigation, took oaths as State Minister for Internal Security, Home Affairs and Disaster Management. The police come under him. One-time Speaker was the only one to hold both State and cabinet portfolios.
Many an eyebrow was raised when the swearing in ceremony concluded without former President and leader of the SLFP Maithripala Sirisena, who had arrived at the swearing-in ceremony a bit late, not receiving a portfolio. Having contested the general election on the SLPP ticket except Jaffna and Kalutara, the SLFP obtained 13 seats. In addition to the elected, the SLFP secured one National List slot (Dr. Suren Raghavan). The SLFP on its own won one seat in the Jaffna electoral district (Angajan Ramanathan).
In addition to the two Cabinet ministries received by the SLFP, SLFP General Secretary Dayasiri Jayasekera and two others, Duminda Dissanayake and Lasantha Alagiyawanna were sworn in as State Ministers.
Deputy Leader of the NFF Jayantha Samaraweera, who contested from Kalutara on the SLPP ticket was among the State Ministers. Sons of former Prime Ministers, the late Ratnasiri Wickramanayaka and the late D. M. Jayaratne, Vidura and Anuradha, respectively, too, received appointments as State Ministers.
President Rajapaksa accommodated several elected Viyathmaga members among the State Ministers and Chairpersons of District Coordinating Committees. Eight out of nine candidates fielded by the civil society group Viyathmaga entered Parliament. Of them, retired Rear Admiral Sarath Weerasekera, Dr. Nalaka Godahewa and Prof. Channa Jayasumana were named State Ministers. In addition to them, two Viyathmaga National List members, former Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal and Dr. Seetha Arambepola were accommodated among the group of State Ministers.
Three other Viyathmaga members, Dr. Upul Galappaththi (Hambantota), Nalaka Bandara Kottegoda (Matale) and Gunapala Ratnasekera (Kurunegala) were named Chairpersons of District Coordinating Committees.
Former Tamil National Alliance dissident Sadasivam Viyalendran (Batticaloa) was sworn in as State Minister for postal services development and mass media.
Jeewan Thondaman, son of the late Arumugam Thondaman, CWC leader, was named estate housing and community infrastructure facilities state minister.
Nipuna, son of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s sister was among 23 Chairpersons of District Coordinating Committees.
Former ministers and State Ministers, LSSP Chief Prof. Tissa Vitharana, S. B. Dissanayake, Susil Premjayantha, Ranjith Siyambalapitiya Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, Mahinda Samarasinghe, Jihn Seneviratne, Chandima Weerakkody, Dilan Perera, Rohana Dissanayake, Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, K.K. Masthan, Angajan Ramanathan and Dushyantha Mithrapala were among those left out. Communist Party National List MP, too, wasn’t accommodated in the Cabinet.
The SLPP won a staggering 145 seats out of 225-member Parliament. The breakaway UNP faction, the Samagi Jana Balavegaya secured 54 seats whereas the UNP, the TNA and the JVP led Jathika Jana Balavegaya won 01, 10 and 03 seats, respectively.
The Turkish Naval Ship TCG BÜYÜKADA which arrived in Sri Lanka on a formal visit, departed the island on 18 Jun 25.
The Sri Lanka Navy bade customary farewell to the departing
ship at the Port of Colombo, following naval traditions. Upon leaving, the Turkish Naval Ship engaged in a successful Passage Exercise (PASSEX) with SLNS Gajabahu in Colombo seas. The PASSEX involved training exercises in communication and tactical maneuvering, concluding with the traditional cheer ship salute.
Meanwhile, the Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey to Sri Lanka, Semih Lütfü Turgut, accompanied by the Commanding Officer of the visiting ship, Lieutenant Commander Anil
BİLGİN met with the Commander of the Navy, Vice Admiral Kanchana Banagoda at the Navy Headquarters on 13 Jun 25. The cordial discussion mainly focused on several matters of
bilateral importance and it importance of the occasion.
During her stay in Colombo, crew members of TCG BÜYÜKADA took part in several programmes including sporting events organized by the Sri Lanka Navy, aimed at enhancing mutual cooperation. In addition, they also explored some tourist attractions in the island.
Further, personnel of Sri Lanka Navy had the opportunity to visit the Turkish Naval Ship gaining insights into the ship’s operational capabilities.
Meanwhile, the enhanced cooperation and interoperability fostered through this nature of port calls made by foreign naval ships will provide a strong foundation for the Sri Lanka Navy to
collectively and effectively respond to emerging trends and challenges in the maritime fraternity.
A group of students from Nittambuwa Sanghabodhi National School visited the Presidential Secretariat and the President’s House on Wednesday (18).
The visit was facilitated under the ‘Vision’ programme series, a collaborative initiative for schoolchildren organised by the Presidential Secretariat, the Ministry of Education and the Department of Communication of the Parliament of Sri Lanka.
As part of the visit, the students toured the Old Parliament building located within the Presidential Secretariat and received a briefing on the history of parliamentary democracy in Sri Lanka.
The students and teaching staff were also briefed on the Clean Sri Lanka initiative, spearheaded by President Anura Kumara Disanayake, as well as on the functions of the executive branch and the importance of the rule of law.
To symbolically emphasise the importance of environmental preservation, K.M.N. Kumarasinghe, Senior Additional Secretary to the President, presented the school with a valuable plant sapling.
Among those in attendance were Colonel Dhananjaya Senarath, Deputy Director of the Tri-Forces Security Operations Coordinating Unit; N.A.L. Wijerathna, Principal of Nittambuwa Sanghabodhi National School; and members of the school’s teaching staff.
President Anura Kumara Disanayake on Wednesday (18), lauded Mahinda Siriwardana, the outgoing Secretary to the Treasury, for his exemplary service, stating that it is the responsibility of public officials to strive to prevent adverse outcomes and contribute to positive change.
The President particularly commended Mr Siriwardana’s exceptional dedication and commitment in expertly navigating the nation’s economy through the transformative period following the recent economic crisis, ultimately achieving significant economic victories for the country. President Disanayake expressed his gratitude for Mr Siriwardana’s invaluable contributions.
These remarks were made by President Disanayake at a farewell ceremony organised at the Presidential Secretariat on Wednesday (18) morning to mark Mr Siriwardana’s retirement from his post as Secretary to the Treasury.
The President highlighted the need for a new value system focused on individual merit in an era where material possessions often overshadow genuine human values. He stressed that the country requires a public service driven by humanity and empathy towards others, fulfilling its duties rather than one marred by excessive consumerism and corruption.
President Disanayake further emphasised that the public service should not be an inaccessible mechanism aloof from citizens. He underscored the importance of considering the impact of decisions on people’s lives when making policy choices. The President concluded by stating that young public officials have much to learn from the distinguished career of Mr Mahinda Siriwardana, a senior public servant with extensive experience and profound understanding.
In his address, Mr Siriwardana described his three-year tenure as Secretary to the Treasury as the most significant period of his professional life. He thanked the President for maintaining confidence in him and allowing him to continue in the position despite a change in government leadership, noting that the President’s support was a great source of strength. Mr Siriwardana added that the country might not have overcome its economic crisis without President Anura Kumara Disanayake’s faith, resilience and boundless dedication.
During the ceremony, the President also presented Mr Siriwardana with a token of appreciation for his outstanding service.
The event was attended by Dr Anil Jayantha Fernando, Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Economic Development; Dr Harshana Suriyapperuma, Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning; Dr Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Secretary to the President; Dr Hans Wijayasuriya, Chief Presidential Adviser on Digital Economy; Duminda Hulangamuwa, Senior Presidential Adviser on Economic Affairs; other government officials; and family members of Mr Siriwardana, amongst other invited guests.
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