GAMMANPILA DECLINES MINISTERIAL PORTFOLIO

Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (PHU) Leader Udaya Gammanpila said yesterday the reason why he had decided not to accept any ministerial portfolio was to ease the pressure exerted on the President and Prime Minister when appointing a cabinet with limited number of ministers.

An interim government of 100 days has to be formed. There are 38 former ministers who are anticipating being appointed as cabinet ministers again

• Since the cabinet had been limited to 15 ministers, both the President and Prime Minister must have found it extremely difficult to choose a limited number of ministers • He hoped his decision not to accept a portfolio would help ease pressure on the President and the Prime Minister to some extent

The letter in this regard was sent to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Thursday (21) .

He said that since the cabinet had been limited to 15 ministers, both the President and Prime Minister must have found it extremely difficult to choose a limited number of ministers.

He said if Parliament was not dissolved by a two-third majority, it could only be dissolved after March 1, 2020. “In such situation, an interim government of 100 days has to be formed. there are 38 former ministers who are anticipating being appointed as cabinet ministers again.

Under these circumstances, there was great pressure on the President who first decided to appoint only 10 ministers but later increased the number of ministers to 15. He hoped his decision not to accept a portfolio would help ease pressure on the President and the Prime Minister to some extent.”