RESHUFFLED 18 MINISTERS SWORN IN BY PRESIDENT

Wijeyadasa is Higher Education and Cultural Affairs Minister Fonseka is Sustainable Development, Wildlife and Regional Development Minister

Eighteen Ministers were sworn in by President Maithripala Sirisena yesterday at the Presidential Secretariat in the fourth Cabinet reshuffle of the yahapalana government and the second within the first four months of the year with the Cabinet being reduced to 41 from the previous 45.

The only new comer in the 41-member Cabinet is former Justice and Budhasasana Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe who has been assigned the portfolio of Higher Education and Cultural Affairs. He was removed from his then portfolio in August last year.

The Higher Education portfolio was previously held by Minister Kabir Hashim, who was appointed Minister of Highways and Road Development.

Among the other significant changes at yesterdays Cabinet reshuffle was the swearing in of Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka as the Minister of Sustainable Development, Wildlife and Regional Development.

He was previously the Minister of Regional Development.

UPFA General Secretary Mahinda Amaraweera, who was the Fisheries Minister, was sworn in as Minister of Agriculture while SLFP General Secretary Duminda Dissanayake who was the Minister of Agriculture was appointed Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources Management and Disaster Management.

Meanwhile, the two portfolios of Social Empowerment and Labour Relations which were previously held by UPFA Ministers, were assigned to two UNP Ministers.

As such UNP Ministers P. Harrison was appointed Minister of Social Empowerment while Ravindra Samaraweera was appointed Minister of Labour and Trade Union Relations.

Provincial Councils and Local Government Minister Faiszer Musthapha who was the acting Minister of Sports, was sworn in as Minister of Provincial Councils, Local Government and Sports. The other Cabinet portfolios remain unchanged. The first meeting of the new Cabinet will be on Tuesday.

Presidential Secretary Austin Fernando officiated at the swearingin ceremony which was held in the presence of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, Ministers and Ministry Secretaries.

On February 25, President Sirisena reshuffled the Cabinet in the aftermath of the political storm that swept the country after the LG polls was won by the SLPP.