Sri Lanka Announces New Cabinet MembersSri Lanka announced on Friday, September 14 its new cabinet of 20 ministers reduced from previous 44 members under the agreement signed between President Chandrika Kumaratunga 's ruling People's Alliance and leftist JVP or People's Liberation Front last week.Kumaratunga held an additional media post besides her former key position as defense and finance minister. Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake, Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar and his deputy Harendra Corea remained on their posts. On Thursday, four former cabinet ministers resigned from their posts. The four ministers have opposed government's agreement with the leftist JVP or People's Liberation Front signed last week. The new cabinet should have been sworn in on Wednesday but was postponed to Friday which is seen by astrologers as auspicious. The government lost its majority in the 225-member Parliament following the withdrawal of main Muslim Congress party in June. The JVP with 10 seats in Parliament has helped to prop up the government after it tried in vain to form a government of consensus with the main United National Party early this month. |
| People's Daily Online --- http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/ |