Speculation over Cabinet reshuffle

13 January 2012 06:21 pm

Amid speculation in political circles that Senior Minister D.E.W. Gunasekara is likely to be offered the post of Speaker, he told Daily Mirror that under no circumstances would he accept that post.
 
The minister said whatever the speculations maybe, he had not been offered any new post up to today.
 
“The post of Speaker must go to a Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) member. Under no circumstances will I accept the Speaker’s post. I refused this post when the then President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga offered it to me in 1994,” the minister said and added that he was keen to continue serving the Communist Party and furthermore he had nearly reached the twilight of his political carrier.

Several other ministers who are supposed to have their portfolios changed in a mini-cabinet reshuffle said they were not ready to accept portfolios talked about in the media.
Some of the ministers went so far as to say they would remain as back benches if they were offered portfolios they found not to their liking.
 
Meanwhile, the SLFP’s Political Management Committee (PMC) headed by President Mahinda Rajapaksa has summoned a special meeting at 6.30pm at Temple Trees.
The notice sent to SLFP parliamentarians said a few important points will be discussed at this meeting.
 
A senior government official said one of the main points to be discussed was the impending mini cabinet reshuffle.
 
He said President Rajapaksa was determined to change the portfolios of several ministers who had performed as expected or their performance led to controversies which harmed the government and the party. (Sandun A. Jayasekera)