2nd Lead (Adds list of Ministers and Deputy Ministers)

JVP boycotts UPFA cabinet swearing in ceremony

[TamilNet, Saturday, 10 April 2004, 13:41 GMT]
The first cabinet of the United Peoples’ Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government was sworn in Saturday evening in the President’s House with no live coverage by the State electronic media. The leaders and ministers designate of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), major constituent of the UPFA, boycotted the event due to differences of opinion over the allocation of subjects to ministries designated for them, informed political sources in Colombo said.

None of the leaders of the JVP was present at the swearing in ceremony held Saturday evening.

However, sources close to the Sri Lanka Freedom party (SLFP), the other major constituent of the UPFA said the JVP leaders were held up at another event elsewhere in Colombo to mark the 33rd April Heros Commemoration.

The JVP politburo nominated eight of their parliamentarians, four for the posts of cabinet rank ministers and four for deputy minister posts.

Earlier swearing in ceremony was fixed at 1 p.m. Saturday and later it was put off for 4.30 evening. The swearing in took place later in the day, political sources said.

President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge Saturday evening administered oaths of secrecy to ministers.

The solitary parliamentarian of the Eelam Peoples Democratic Party (EPDP) Mr. Douglas Devananda, the leader of the National Unity Alliance Ms Ferial Ashraff and Mr. A.L.M.Athaullah of NUA and Professor Tissa Vitharana of Lanka Sama Samaja Party were appointed as ministers.

President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge holds the posts of Defense Ministry and Buddha Sasana Ministry, sources said.

The names of new ministers and their ministries follow:

1. Mr.Mahinda Rajapakse, Prime Minister and Minister of Highways
2. Mr.Anura Bandaranaike-Minister of Industries, Investment Promotion and Tourism
3. Mr.D.M.Jayaratne-Minister of Posts, Telecommunication and Upcountry Development
4. Mr.Amarasiri Dodangoda, Minister of Public Administration and Home Affairs.
5. Mr. Mangala Samaraweera, Minister of Ports, Aviation Services.
6. Mr.Lakshman Kadirgamar, Minister of Foreign Affairs
7. Mr. Jeyaraj Fernandopulle, Minister of Trade, Commerce and Consumer Affairs
8. Mr.Maithiripala Sirisena, Minister of River bank and Rajarata Development
9. Mr.John Seneviratne, Minister of Justice and Judicial Reforms
10. Ms Sumedha Jayasena, Minister of Women Affairs and Social Welfare
11. Dr.Sarath Amunugama, Minister of Finance,
12. Mr. Milroy Fernando, Minister of Christian Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs
13. Mr. Jeevan Kumaratunge, Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs
14. Ms Pavithra Vanniarachchi, Minister of Samurdhi and Poverty Alleviation
15. Mr.Anura Priyadarshna Yapa, Minister of Plantation Industries
16. Professor Tissa Vitharana, Minister of Science and technology
17. Mr.Dinesh Gunawardene, Minister of Urban Development and Water Supply
18. Mr. Douglas Devananda, Minister of Agriculture, Marketing Development, Hindu Education Affairs, Tamil Language and Vocational Training centres in North
19. Ms Ferial Ashraff, Minister of Housing Construction and Industries, Education Development in Eastern Province
20. Mr.Susil Premajayantha, Minister of Power and Energy
21. Mr.Athauda Seneviratne, Minister of Labour Relations and Foreign Employment
22. Mr.S.B.Nawinne, Minister of Rural Infrastructure development
23. Mr. Gamage Piyasena, Minister of Technical and Vocational Education
24. Mr. Janaka Bandara Tennekon, Minister of Provincial Councils and Local Government
25. Mr. Felix Perera, Minister of Transport
26. Mr.C.V.Ratnayake, Minister of Plantation Community Infrastructre development
27. Mr. A.L.M.Athaullah, Minister of Eastern Infrastructure development,
28. Mr. Reginald Cooray, Minister of Information and Media
29. Mr.Nimal Sripala de Silva-Minister of Healthcareand Nutrition
30. Mr.A.H.M.Fowzie-Minister of Environmnt and Natural Resources
31. Mr.Tissa Karaliadde, Minister of Indigenous Medicine

Thirty one Deputy Ministers also were sworn in Saturday:

1. Mangala Samaraweera - Education
2. Dinesh Gunawardene - Education
3. Salinda Dissanayake - River Basin and Rajarata Development
4. Maheepala Herath- Transport
5. Jagath Pushpakumara - Samurdhi and Poverty Alleviation
6. Chamal Rajapakse - Plantation Industries
7. Dilan Perera - Ports and Aviation
8. D.M. Dassanayke - Livestock Development
9. Kumara Welgama - Power and Energy
10. T. B. Ekanayake - Highways
11. Pandu Bandaranayaka - Public Administration and Home Affairs
12. Mahindananda Aluthgamage - Power and Energy
13. Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena- Healthcare and Nutrition
14. Mahinda Amaraweera - Urban Development and Water Supply
15. Jayarathne Herath - Public Security, Law and Order
16. Cegu Issadeen - Information and Media
17. Dayasritha Tissera - Ports and Aviation
18. Duminda Dissanayake - Skills Development, Vocational and Technical Education
19. Ranjith Siyambalapitiya - Finance
20. Rohitha Abeygunawardene - Post, Telecommunications and Udarata Development
21. M. I. Anwar Ismail - Infrastructure Development in the Eastern Province
22. S.M. Chandrasena - Estate Community Infrastructure
23. Premalal Jayasekara - River Basin and Rajarata Development
24. Chandrasiri Gajadeera - Housing and Construction Industry, Eastern Province Education and Irrigation Development
25. Jayatissa Ranaweera - Provincial Councils and Local Government
26. Bandula Basnayake - Environment and Natural Resources
27. Gunarathne Weerakoon - Regional Infrastructure Development
28. Lasantha Alagiyawanna - Transport
29. Sripathi Suriarachchi - Sports and Youth Affairs
30. Siripala Gamlath - Agricultural Marketing Development
31. Rohana Dissanayake - Samurdhi and Poverty Alleviation

     

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