Harin clarifies gazette confusion

Minister Harin Fernando has cleared the confusion caused by Wednesday’s gazette notice issued by the President stating that Telecom, Digital Infrastructure, Foreign Employment Promotion and Sports Minister, Harin Fernando, and Development Strategies, International Trade, Science, Technology and Research Minister, Malik Samarasinghe, had resigned from their posts. Mr Fernando advised it was only a procedural matter.

“I have scarified the subject of Digital Infrastructure Development and allowed Ajith P Perera to be sworn in as the non-cabinet Minister in charge of the subject and as such cannot legally function as the Minister of Telecom, Digital Infrastructure and Foreign Employment Promotion anymore. However, I was sworn in as the Minister of Sports and Foreign Employment Promotion at the same time the Non- Cabinet Ministers were sworn in,” the Minister told Daily Mirror.

The Minister said the subject of Science, Technology and Research was given to Sujeewa Senasinghe and therefore Mr. Samarawickrama had to resign as the Minister of International Trade, Science, Technology and Research and was sworn in as Minister of International Trade. The Non-Cabinet Ministers would be in charge of the subjects given separately but would have to submit cabinet papers through the Prime Minister.  (Yohan Perera)

The gazette notice