Wickremesinghe appoints cabinet of 25

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 12 December 2001, 11:57 GMT]
The cabinet of ministers of the United National Front government was sworn in Wednesday afternoon in Colombo. The Prime Minister Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe kept only the Ministry of Policy Planning to himself contrary to the practice of former heads of Sri Lankan governments to hold key several portfolios such as defence. The UNP MP for Jaffna was appointed a Minister for Hindu Affairs sans cabinet rank. The Minister of Defence is former attorney general Mr. Tilak Marapone. The leader of the Ceylon Workers' Congress Mr. Arumugam Thondaman was appointed Housing and Plantation Infrastructure.

Photo:TamilNet

The following are the ministers and deputy ministers appointed today.

Ministers with full cabinet rank:

Prime Minister and Minister of Policy Planning: Ranil Wickremesinghe

Finance: K. N. Choksy

Foreign: Tyronne Fernando

Health: P. Dayaratne

Interior: John Amaratunga

Defence: Tilak Marapone

Tourism: Gamini Lokuge

Power and Energy: Karu Jayasuriya

Transport, Highway and Aviation: Gamini Athukorale

Home Affairs, Local Government: Alik Aluvihare

Western Region Development: M. H. Mohamed

Justice, Law Reform, Buddhist Affairs: W. J. M. Lokubandara

Irrigation and Water Management: Gamini Jayawickrema Perera

Agriculture, Livestock and Welfare: S. B. Dissanayake

Industrial Development: G. L. Peiris

Ports Development and Shipping: Rauf Hakeem

Women's Affairs: Amara Piyaseeli Ratnayake

Southern Regional Development: Ananda Kularatne

Environment and Natural Resources: Rukman Senanayake

Housing and Plantation Infrastructure: Arumugam Thondaman

Fisheries and Ocean Resources: Mahinda Wijesekara

Plantation Industries: Lakshman Kiriella

Central Region Development: Tissa Attanayake

Rural Economy: Bandula Gunawardena

Co-operatives: A. R. M. Cader

Ministers without cabinet rank:

Human Resources, Education and Culture: Karunasena Kodituwakku

Employment and Labour: Mahinda Samarasinghe

Water Management: Lakshman Seneviratne

State Transport: Piyasoma Upali

Mass Communication: Imitiasz Bakeer Markar

Parliamentary Affairs: A. H. M. Azwar

Social Welfare: Ravi Samaraweera

Housing Development: P. Harrison

Public Administration: Vajiya Abeywardena

Commerce and Consumer Affairs: Ravi Karunanayake

Assisting Foreign Affairs: Lal Gamage

Home Affairs and Local Government: Earl Gunasekara

Estate Infrastructure: P. Chandrasekaran

Samudhi (Welfare): R. A. D. Sirisena

School Education: Suranimala Rajapakse

Rehabilitation, Resettlement, Refugees: Jayalath Jayawardena

Tertiary Education: Kabir Hashim

Irrigation: H. G. P. Nelson

Land: Rajitha Senaratne

NorthWest Regional Development: Jayatilake Podinilame

Youth Affairs and Sports: Johnson Fernando

Industries: Rohitha Bogollagama

Small Holder Development: Susantha Punchinilame

Urban Public Utilities: M. Maharoof

Highways: A. L. M. Athaulla

Assistaing Wanni Rehabilitation: Noordeen Mashoor

Hindu Affairs: T. Maheswaran

Economic Reforms, Science, Technology: Milinda Moragoda

Deputy Ministers:

Finance: Bandula Gunawardena

Health: Sajith Premadasa

Plantation Industries: Naveen Dissanayake

Environment and Natural Resources: Indika Banaranayake

Power and Energy: Sagala Ratnayake

Agriculture and Livestock: Muthu Sivalingam

Housing: Basheer Segudawood

Fisheries: Mohideen Abdul cader

Southern Regional development: Mahinda Wijesekara