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No ‘Viyathmaga’ members in Cabinet

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12 August 2020 05:24 pm - 34     - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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-All eight members were elected, one named in National List

-No Cabinet portfolios 

-Four State Ministries 

-Three members have no appointments

Even though the ‘Viyathmaga’, group of professionals were given prominence during the campaign trail since the presidential election, no members have been given appointments in the Cabinet of Ministers. The group rose to prominence, with pledges to take the country forward. However, the members of the professional group have not been given due distinction as expected.    

 ‘Viyathmaga’ is a network of academics, professionals, and entrepreneurs who contested the General Election with expectations to render their utmost service for the betterment of the country.    

According to the overall results of the General Election, eight ‘Viyathmaga’ candidates contested the election and were elected from respective districts.   

Rear Admiral (Retd.) Sarath Weerasekera, who contested from the Colombo District, secured 328,092 votes topping the district. 

Gampaha District candidate Dr. Nalaka Godahewa secured 325,479 votes obtaining the most votes of the district.

Prof.  Channa Jayasumana who contested from the Anuradhapura District obtained 133,980 votes.

Senior Lecturer Gunapala Rathnasekara, garnered 141,991 votes from the Kurunegala District

Engineer Nalaka Bandara Kottegoda, obtained 71,404 votes from the Matale District

Dr. Upul Galappaththi, who contested from the Hambantota District, secured 63,369 votes

Dr. Gayashan Nawananda, received 45,384 votes contesting from the Monaragala District

Dr. Thilak Rajapaksha obtained 54,203 votes from the Ampara District. 

Meanwhile, Dr. Seetha Arambepola was named as one of the National List seat members from the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) and was appointed State Minister of Skills Development.

Sarath Weerasekara was sworn in as the State Minister of Provincial and Local Government Affairs while Nalaka Godahewa was appointed as the State Minister of Urban Development, Coast Conservation, Waste Disposal and Public Hygiene.

Channa Jayasumana was sworn in as the State Minister of Drug Manufacturing, Supply and Regulation. 

Meanwhile, Engineer Nalaka Bandara Kottegoda and Dr. Upul Galappaththi were appointed as District Coordinating Committee Chairpersons for the Matale and Hambantota districts respectively.  

However, Senior Lecturer Gunapala Rathnasekara, Dr. Gayashan Nawananda and Dr. Thilak Rajapaksha have not been awarded with any portfolios. (Sheain Fernandopulle)


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  Comments - 34

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  • BigEars Wednesday, 12 August 2020 05:33 PM

    May be they are not Viyath! Good the supper intellect elected from Gampaha was given a minister post .

    Dee Wednesday, 12 August 2020 05:52 PM

    Maybe there was a typo in selecting. Instead selected some from vipathmaga.

    Kay Em Thursday, 13 August 2020 09:32 AM

    LOL!!!

    Sokrates Wednesday, 12 August 2020 05:55 PM

    To be criminal or crooked has been more value to the ruling Mafia Clan than intelligence.

    Samson Wednesday, 12 August 2020 06:01 PM

    Sad that these members were overlooked to accommodate members without a recognised profession.

    Lalindra Amarpala Wednesday, 12 August 2020 06:06 PM

    What about Ali Sabry

    Liberal One Wednesday, 12 August 2020 06:07 PM

    Mahinda's team has got into the cabinet pushing back Gota's team into state ministers.

    Sri Lankan Wednesday, 12 August 2020 06:13 PM

    Att: Sokrates, Remember, these people could be mafia or saint, people chose them , people also rejected Ranil.

    vince Wednesday, 12 August 2020 08:22 PM

    Still, the idiot's elected dullards got in and the said idiots got the top posts. hope they don't plunder this land like the last time.

    Gamage Wednesday, 12 August 2020 06:15 PM

    Joke of Asia.

    ravin Wednesday, 12 August 2020 06:28 PM

    Well ! the crooks know very well if professionals get in to top they can't make their fortune out of public funds freely. last few weeks everyone sae it in mass media how many of them was behind nefarious characters and activities . This was the norm of past and present. Hopefully it will change in future.

    Mahesh Wednesday, 12 August 2020 06:33 PM

    Probably they are not upto the standard at least like rohitha, namal and wimal . Must be just talkers without work as well. Useless viyathmaga and those who voted these non standard individuals are the biggest fools !

    FF Wednesday, 12 August 2020 06:34 PM

    SLPP WON BECAUSE OF MAHINDA AND BASIL. THEREFORE, GOTA CANNOT HAVE HIS WAY

    E Fernando Wednesday, 12 August 2020 08:18 PM

    SLPP won ONLY because of the people's faith in GR. MR and Basil had been rejected by the people before

    Asanka Wednesday, 12 August 2020 06:36 PM

    Chamal Rajapaksa only has finished secondary school. He got the very important and technical irrigation/watermanagment portfolio. Unbelievable. But now at least I understand why Muslims and Christians Covid victims are not allowed to be buried. It has nothing to do with expertise, only with dirty politics

    Chux Wednesday, 12 August 2020 06:37 PM

    Typical practices adopted by Rajapakshas they are bunch people use them and throw them

    Mirshid Idroos Wednesday, 12 August 2020 06:38 PM

    Super returns for the idiotic viyathmaga now atharamagah

    varuna Wednesday, 12 August 2020 06:43 PM

    Please don't complain. What we see now is the outcome the people yearned for by giving unbridled powers to the Rajapakses. Whether "viyathmaga" becomes "vipathmaga" or the country goes into ruins is irrelevant now. Whatever the Rajapakses do, people need to be content with and happy and perhaps, celebrate! So simple.

    Don Wednesday, 12 August 2020 07:07 PM

    Oh what happened to the CLAN OF ERUDITE ?

    Right Thinker Wednesday, 12 August 2020 07:57 PM

    Gevindu Kumaratunga

    Anuruddha Wednesday, 12 August 2020 08:06 PM

    Duh!!!!!

    SODHA Wednesday, 12 August 2020 08:24 PM

    There were better Viyathun like, Miris Kudu Ranaweera, Raththarang Rohitha, Match Fixing Aluthgamage, Namal Baby, etc...

    prasanna Wednesday, 12 August 2020 09:12 PM

    what do you expect from the thieves

    Gayan Wednesday, 12 August 2020 09:31 PM

    Like you voted for viyathmaga or SLPP. Sour grapes. Let the people who voted for this govt worry abt that. Just FYI, Ali Sabri is a cabinet appointment and many are first time parlimentarians who were appointed portfolios nevertheless.

    Viyatha Wednesday, 12 August 2020 10:03 PM

    Waste disposal for Dr Nalaka Godahewa! There is a feeling nothing revolutionary will happen in next 5 years.

    Jehan Wednesday, 12 August 2020 10:04 PM

    I support MR , he is the best. Let the party start.

    Lajjai Wednesday, 12 August 2020 10:51 PM

    Cultured and educated people are dropped and the discredited ones are appointed.

    Raaja Horu Wednesday, 12 August 2020 11:07 PM

    To the "Royal Clan", "Miriskudu Prasanna" or "Kudu Lansa" has more value than an Engineer, Lecturer, or a Doctor.

    roobarbie Thursday, 13 August 2020 04:23 AM

    No need for them to be in cabinet. They are action men/women, 9 of them as State Ministers, and can influence hierarchy as well as lower levels from where they are. It is their vision and program management skills that the country needs. I am sure on their advice GR will inlfuence the cabinet from top down.

    neil Thursday, 13 August 2020 05:37 AM

    MR selected people who will sttand behind Namal in time to come. He knows Viyathmaga members do not have that affliation to Namal's future.

    Viyaluwa Vikara Thursday, 13 August 2020 06:51 AM

    VIYATHMAGA is now a VIYA PATH MAGA and become a VIPATH MAGA .

    UniDon Thursday, 13 August 2020 07:18 AM

    Wonder whether these people, at least many of them, can be treated as "viyath". For, example, Mr. Gunapala elected from Kurunegal is a fulltime 'tuition master' attached to the University of Sri Jayewardenepura.

    jimbo Thursday, 13 August 2020 09:06 AM

    What can the so called professionals do? Nothing but keep complaining.

    Don Thursday, 13 August 2020 09:57 AM

    I am not a fan of SLPP or GR, but I feel GR has taken control of all MP’s and no will be able to play like they did with MR. I feel GR is inserting some discipline in to the system and sooner than later few ministers will get fired. They should implement an appraisal system to evaluate their work too.


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