New Sri Lankan Cabinet sworn in

By Nirupama Subramanian

COLOMBO, SEPT. 14. The Sri Lankan President, Ms. Chandrika Kumaratunga, today met another Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna condition for its support to the Government by slashing her Cabinet of Ministers to less than half of what it was and reducing the number of junior Ministers.

Ms. Kumaratunga administered the oath of office this morning to 18 Ministers named to the new lean-look Cabinet, with most in charge of three portfolios each. The previous Cabinet had 43 Ministers.

As expected, the President accommodated several of those who had to be dropped as Deputy Ministers. Twenty Deputy Ministers were also sworn in today along with the Cabinet Ministers. There were over 30 junior Ministers functioning under the previous Cabinet.

The JVP had said there should be no more than 20 Cabinet Ministers and not more than the same number of junior Ministers.

The Prime Minister, Mr. Ratnasiri Wickramanayake, also took the oath of office afresh. Both he and the President hold Cabinet portfolios, but in the ministerial head count are not included in the number limit of 20 set by the JVP.

The new Cabinet list contained no surprises, except for the omission of Mr. Armugham Thondaman, the leader of the Ceylon Workers Congress, the trade union-cum-political party representing the Indian Tamil tea estate labourers.

The State radio, Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation, said he would be sworn in on Monday, when he returned from India.

Ms. Kumaratunga has retained Finance, Defence and Science and Technology, additionally taking on Media and Poverty Alleviation. Mr. Lakshman Kadirgamar continues as the Foreign Minister.

Two Cabinet Ministers, Mr. Anuruddha Ratwatte and Mr. Mangala Samaraweera, are also the Deputy Ministers of Defence and Finance respectively.

Four Ministers in the previous Cabinet, anticipating they would be left out of the new one due to their rift with the President, resigned yesterday, citing their differences with her and the failure of the Government to fulfil the expectations of the people.

The four, Mr. G. L. Peiris, Mr. S. B. Dissanayake, Mr. Jeyaraj Fernandopulle and Mr. Mahinda Wijesekera, also said they believed the Government's pact with the JVP would prevent a political solution to the ethnic crisis and set back economic development.

However, the State radio said Mr. Fernandopulle would be administered the oath of office on Sunday.

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Section  : International
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