Cabinet of Ministers to be limited to 30 - MP Eran

COLOMBO (News 1st) - UNP MP Eran Wickramarathne says that the new cabinet of ministers will be appointed within the next 48 hours. He continued to say that the cabinet of Ministers will be limited to 30 individuals adding that discussions are yet underway on appointing the cabinet with only the members of the United National Front. In response to an inquiry made by a journalist as to whether the MPs of the SLFP would be granted Ministerial positions, MP Eran Wickremerathne noted that the majority of UNP MPs are not opposed to the idea of granting Ministerial positions to members of the SLFP if they are qualified. But he continued to say that as a party they strongly will object the number of cabinet Ministers exceeding 30 and that this decision will not be amended in favour of certain people. Making a statement about the budget for the following year, UNP MP Eran Wickremerathne said that the budget will be brought in to parliament within the first week of January adding that it will be passed by February. He added that this is because the process of passing the budget in parliament requires 26 days.