Ratwatte back as Dep. Defence Minister

[TamilNet, Thursday, 30 November 2000, 14:55 GMT]
General Anuruddha Ratwatte and Professor G.L.Peiris have been re-appointed as the Deputy Defense Minister and Deputy Finance Minister respectively. Both new Deputy Ministers took oaths before the Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake at Temple Trees Thursday.

Prime Minister Mr.Ratnasiri Wickremanayake is now functioning as the acting Defense Minister, Finance and Plan Implementation in the absence of the President Chandrika Kumaratunge.

President Kumaratunge holds the posts of Minister of Defense, Finance and Plan Implementation.

The appointment of General Ratwatte as the new Deputy Defense Minister has put an end to the month long speculation that he would not be re-appointed to this post following allegations of thuggery and election malpractices in Kandy district during the October 2000 General election.