Joint Opposition slams Govt. on new ministerial appointments

President Maithripala Sirisena poses with the newly appointed Ministers yesterday. From left: Deputy Minister of Internal, Cultural and Wayamba Development Palitha Thewarapperuma, Deputy Foreign Employment Minister Manusha Nanayakkara, and State Minister of Science, Technology and Research Lakshman Senevirathne 

By Ashwin Hemmathagama Our Lobby Correspondent

Appointment of three more Ministers and Deputy Ministers caused a heated Parliament yesterday with members of the Joint Opposition demanding to know the total number. 

Highlighting the public right to know the final numbers, the Joint Opposition demanded the Government update the Parliament today with the list of cabinet ministers, deputy ministers, and the state ministers.

Finding fault for not having a limit for appointing ministers, Joint Opposition MP Wimal Weerawansa said: “(This) government has taken the right to appoint Ministers by exceeding the parameters found in the 19th amendment to the Constitution, assuming a national government was established.

But we have already given two no confidence motions against two Ministers of the Government and time will be allocated soon for the debate. That shows no national government is formed in this Parliament. On the other hand, more and more ministers are sworn in by making use of the national government concept. Today also three were appointed.”

Declining to honour the Joint Opposition’s request, Speaker Karu Jayasuriya said: “This request doesn’t fall under the purview of the Speaker. Yes, two no confidence motions were discussed at the Party Leaders meeting held on Tuesday. We agreed to allocate time in May to debate the first. I will have to obtain legal advice for the second motion. I don’t appoint them and have no right to tell the number of Ministers in the Government.”

However, inviting the Joint Opposition to join the Government, Minister of Higher Education and Highways and the Leader of the House of Parliament Lakshman Kiriella said: “There is an ongoing case relevant to the second no confidence motion. It is about a vehicle accident. We have enough room for more Ministers, so cross over to this side.”