Five more ministries

28 January 2013 03:06 am Views - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}} 46 Bookmark

CHATURANGA PRADEEP SAMARAWICKRAMA Follow

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Five additional portfolios will be introduced to the Cabinet of Ministers today in addition to a reshuffle involving five already existing ministries, Daily Mirror learns.

The government will appoint five MPs representing the Southern, Uva, North Western, Eastern and North Central Provinces to these five different posts. In this exercise, it is learnt that Deputy Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardane, a member from the Matara district, will be appointed as Investment Promotion Minister a subject that is at present under the purview of Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa. This post has been created to place renewed emphasis on attracting foreign direct investments here.

Deputy Minister Jayaratne Herath who is from the Kurunegala district will be given a new Cabinet post. The other three deputy ministers who will get Cabinet posts are Duminda Dissanayake from the Anuradhapura district, Susantha Punchinilame from Trincomalee and Gamini Wijith Wijayamuni Zoysa from the Moneragala district.

Authoritative sources told Daily Mirror that those ministers would be assigned to revamp the country’s sugar industry and renewable energy sector. Also, the Wild Life Department, zoological gardens and botanical gardens which are currently under the Economic Development Ministry will be placed under the purview of the new ministries.

Besides these, a new Cabinet post called ‘Education Services’ will be created to handle subject matter presently lying with Education Minister Bandula Gunwardane. Political analysts see it as a curtailment of the power of Mr. Gunawardane. Deputy Minister Gamini Wijitth Wijithamuni Zoysa is tipped to be appointed to the new position. A similar post called Education Services existed in the cabinet of President R. Premadasa. At that time, Lionel Jayatilake was its minister.

Pavithra Wanniarachchi will be appointed as the new Power and Energy Minister. Patali Champika Ranawaka who now holds the post will be given the Ministry of Technology, Research and Atomic Energy.

The President has picked Petroleum Minister Susil Premajayantha as the new Environment Minister. (Kelum Bandara)