President Mahinda Rajapaksa is to reshuffle his cabinet early next year, a government minister told The Sunday Leader adding that some ministries are also expected to be removed.Speaking to The Sunday Leader on the condition of anonymity the government minister said that some believe the reshuffle is in order to satisfy the President’s astrological beliefs.
“The President believes a lot in astrology and due to some predictions he is going in for a cabinet reshuffle next year,” the government minister said.
He also said that most ministers are not very happy with their current portfolios and have informed the President of their displeasure.
Currently, key ministries such as Defence, Highways, Ports and Aviation and Finance and Planning are under the President’s control while Tourism and Economic Development have been handed over to his brother Basil Rajapaksa. Following his inauguration for a second term as President in November last year, President Rajapaksa appointed a new cabinet and also named D. M. Jayaratne as the Prime Minister.
Among the 59 ministers and 33 deputy ministers were 16 newcomers. Lakshman Senevirathne and Sri Lanka Muslim Congress leader Rauf Hakeem, who had crossed over to the government, were also rewarded with ministerial portfolios.
Rajapaksa’s first term saw more than 100 ministers being appointed, but some of them lost office in the last general elections.
Successive UPFA governments had jumbo cabinets which analysts had said undermined transparency and accountability and paved the way for decisions to be made by a non-transparent ‘kitchen cabinet’. (JN)
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‘Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields’ ( Sri Lanka Guardian )
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| “You can bend it and twist it... You can misuse and abuse it... But even God cannot change the Truth.” |
by Gareth Thomas
( July 02, London, Sri Lanka Guardian) I rise to raise two issues.
Monks destroy Muslim shrine as police stand idle
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But a prominent Muslim in the area said he was very sad and the sentiment was shared by many Sinhalese too. Full Story>>>
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(Lanka-e-News -16.March.2011, 11.00PM) According to reports reaching Lanka e news, a Hindu Temple situated at Devanam piyatissa Mawatha, Anuradhapura had been set on fire by a violent marauding group on the 14th night.This Temple which had been in existence since 1983, are visited by Tamil as well as Sinhala people for religious activities.
Full Story>>>
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Bishop's House appeals to Vatican to urge Colombo to renovate Vanni churches
