JVP to get Land, Fisheries, Culture, Rural Economy Development ministries

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 April 2004, 14:05 GMT]
Thirty-five-member cabinet of the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government is to be sworn in on Thursday or Friday. UPFA leaders have decided to limit the number of cabinet ministers to thirty-five, government sources said Tuesday.

The UPFA cabinet would comprise four JVP parliamentarians and another four as deputy ministers. These appointments are to be made according to the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the leaders of the two political parties, the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and JVP in January this year, political sources said.

JVP sources said Mr.Anura Dissanayake would be the Land, Agriculture Minister with Mr.Bimal Ratnayake as his deputy. Mr.Chandrasena Wijesena, Fisheries and Aquatic Development Minister with Mr.Nihal Galapathi as his deputy. Cultural Affairs Ministry goes to Mr. Vijitha Herat and Mr. Samantha Wijeratne will be his deputy. Mr. Lal Kanthe will be the Minister for Rural Economy Development and his deputy will be Mr.Sunil Handunetti.

However top leaders of the JVP Mr.Wimal Weerawanse and Mr.Nandana Gunatilake have decided not to join the UPFA cabinet, sources said.

41 members of the JVP are in the 105 member- UPFA government parliamentary group. 36 of 39 JVP candidates contested in the UPFA ticket were elected in the Friday poll to the new parliament. With the two national list seats the JVP parliamentary strength has increased to 41, sources said.