In a move widely condemned by civil society and the Opposition, President Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday appointed 37 new State Ministers.

Those appointed included MPs from the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna, Sri Lanka Freedom Party and the Samagi Jana Balawegaya.

The State Ministers including two for Finance were sworn in before the President at the Presidential Secretariat.

At present there are 20 Ministers too. 

The move by the President, widely seen as a compromise to retain support for him, comes despite Wickremesinghe himself declaring State expenditure will be curbed in order to enhance relief to people who have been suffering for months due to the economic crisis.

However, Government Whip and Urban Development and Housing Minister Prasanna Ranatunga claimed the new 37 State Ministers won’t be a burden as they will function sans privileges but only enjoy the pay of MPs. 

He recalled that the previous Government in addition to Cabinet Ministers, had 88 State Ministers and Monitoring Ministers enjoying full perks and privileges including some getting a monthly payment of Rs. 600,000.

He said that due to the limited number of Cabinet members the oversight of State institutions hence the need for State Ministers. Ranatunga said his Ministry has 35 institutions and it is difficult to personally oversee activities of those. 

Civil society members, activists and Opposition MPs condemned the appointment of State Ministers. 

Former telecom industry professional Dumindra Ratnayake said in a tweet: “All indirect and direct taxes have been increased. Inflation is 100% and 37 State Ministers appointed. Why are we paying for this wastage? Is the President and the Government mad? What are they smoking?”

The new State Ministers are Premitha Bandara Tennakoon – State Minister of Defence, Ranjith Siyambalapitiya – State Minister of Finance, Shehan Semasinghe – State Minister of Finance, Seetha Arambepola – State Minister of Health, Lasantha Alagiyawanna – State Minister of Transport, Tharaka Balasuriya – State Minister of Foreign Affairs, Aravind Kumar – State Minister of Education, Suren Raghavan – State Minister of Higher Education, Shantha Bandara – State Minister of Media, Mohan Priyadarshana De Silva – State Minister of Agriculture, Dilum Amunugama – State Minister of Investment Promotion, Kanaka Herath – State Minister of Technology, Janaka Wakkumbura – State Minister of Provincial Councils, and Local Government, Lohan Ratwatte – State Minister of Plantation Industries, Anuradha Jayaratne – State Minister of Justice and Prisons Affairs, Shasheendra Rajapaksa – State Minister of Irrigation, Jagath Pushpakumara – State Minister of Foreign Employment Promotion, Thenuka Vidanagamage – State Minister of Urban Development and Housing, Vijitha Berugoda – State Minister of Piriven Education, Arundika Fernando – State Minister of Urban Development and Housing, Siripala Gamlath – State Minister of Highways, Sanath Nishantha- State Minister of Water Supply, Indika Anurudhdha – State Minister of Power and Energy, DB Herath – State Minister of Livestock Development, S Viyalanderan – State Minister of Trade, Sisira Jayakody – State Minister of Indigenous Medicine, Prasanna Ranaweera – State Minister of Small and Medium Scale Enterprise Development, D. V. Chanaka – State Minister of Wildlife and Forest Conservation, Piyal Nishantha – State Minister of Fisheries, Kader Masthan – State Minister of Rural Economy, Ashoka Priyantha – State Minister of Home Affairs, Geetha Kumarasinghe – State Minister of Women’s and Child Affairs, Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan – State Minister of Rural road Development, Diana Gamage – State Minister of Tourism, Chamara Sampath Dasanayake – State Minister of Primary Industries, Anupa Pasqual – State Minister of Social Empowerment, and Rohana Dissanayake – State Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs.

 

Marikkar slams appointments of 37 new ‘unsuitable’ State Ministers