New Deputy Ministers and State Ministers sworn in

by Staff Writer 12-06-2018 | 6:48 PM

Colombo (News 1st) - 5 Deputy ministers and 2 state ministers were sworn in today before President Maithripala Sirisena at the Presidential Secretariat. The new appointments are as follows, State Ministers

Ranjith Aluwihare - State Minister of Tourism, Development and Christian Religious Affairs
Lucky Jayawardene - State Minister of Hill country new villages, infrastructure and community development

Deputy Ministers

Nalin Bandara - Deputy Minister of Public Administration, Management and Law & Order
Ajith Manapperuma - Deputy Minister of Environment
Edward Gunasekara - Deputy Minister of Internal affairs and Wayamba development
Angajan Ramanathan - Deputy Minister of Agriculture
Kader Masthan - Deputy Minister of Rehabilitation, Resettlement, and Hindu Religious affair

The current national government has 40 Cabinet Ministers, 22 State Ministers and 22 Deputy Ministers. Ranjith Aluwihare a Buddhist has been appointed as the State Minister of Christian Religious Affairs while Cader Mastan has been appointed as the Deputy Minister of Hindu Religious Affairs. Is this how Deputy Ministers are appointed in a scientific manner? Deputy Minister Nalin Bandara Jayamaha stated that there are vacant positions for Deputy Ministers across 10 Ministries following the defection of the group of 16 and those vacancies were filled. He further stated that no new appointments were made and it is wise if the people view this as a moment where the suitable persons were given their due position. He added that three seniors, Edward Gunasekera, Lucky Jayawardena and Ranjith Aluvihare have been given positions. Nalin Bandara also mentioned Buddika Pathirana as an individual who received an appointment as a deputy minister of a state minister. UNP MP Buddhika Pathirana who is in Japan, speaking exclusively to News 1st stated that he witnesses media reports claiming that he had been appointed as a Deputy Minister. He stated that he has not been officially informed about any new appointment.