Wednesday, 9 October 2013 01:30
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By Dharisha Bastians
Constituent parties in the Tamil National Alliance are close to breaking the deadlock over choosing provincial ministers for the new Northern Provincial Council (NPC) yesterday, three days ahead of a scheduled swearing in ceremony in Jaffna.
A decision will be finalised within the next 24-48 hours, TNA Leader R. Sampanthan told the Daily FT.
“Chief Minister Wigneswaran will decide on the final representatives,” Sampanthan said, adding that the former Supreme Court Justice was keen that whoever is appointed must be able to deliver on the work entrusted to them.
One ministerial portfolio each are likely to be granted to the Suresh Premachandran led EPRLF and the Selvam Adaikalanathan led TELO, TNA leaders have decided. ITAK, the TNA’s main constituent party, will have two Ministers on the Cabinet.
The TNA comprises five constituent parties – ITAK, EPRLF, PLOTE, TELO and TULF – but only four ministerial portfolios are available on the provincial council.
The alliance has met several times over the past two weeks to attempt to reach a consensus on the appointments. At least two nominees to the Chief Minister’s Cabinet were decided ahead of time, with the TNA favouring a former Educational Director from Kilinochchi T. Kurukularajah and a medical doctor from Vavuniya Dr. P. Sathiyalingam – both high preferential vote takers – for the health and education portfolios. Both are members of ITAK.
A TELO councillor from Mannar is likely to be named Fisheries, Roads and Infrastructure Minister while an EPRLF Member is likely to be sworn in as Minister of Agriculture.
The Northern Provincial Council ministers will be sworn in before Chief Minister Wigneswaran in Jaffna on Friday (11).
