Forty two Cabinet Ministers Including Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe were sworn in by President Maithripala Sirisena at the Presidential secretariat on September 4th 2015. Among these were 21 from the UNP,12 from the SLFP and 9 non –UNP MP’s who contested under the elephant symbol of the UNP led UNFGG.
Premier Wickremesinghe was sworn in as Minister of Policy Planning and Economic Affairs.Among the three ministers already sworn in Justice Minister Wijedasa Rajapakshe and Resettlemt minister D.M.Swaminathan were sworn in again as ministers of Buddha Sasana and Hindu religious affairs respectively. These portfolios are in addition to the ministries they already retain.
Foreign minister Mangala Samaraweera was not given any additional portfolio.Along with Samaraweera the number of ministers in the new cabinet are 43.
More ministers,state ministers and deputy ministers are to be sworn in shortly.
Two cabinet ministers from the UNP and Three from the SLFP will be sworn in soon to swell the size of cabinet to 48.This would increase the UNFGG component in cabinet to 33 and the UPFA component to 15.
27 and 18 State and Deputy ministers from the UNFGG and UPFA respectively will be sworn in shortly.
When that happens the number of ministers, state ministers and deputy ministers in the new good governance govt would rise to 93.
The following is the list of ministers sworn in on Sep 4th and their portfolios.
01. Minister of Policy Planning and Economic Affairs– Ranil Wickremesinghe
02. Minister of Tourism Development and Christian Affairs – John Amaratunga
03. Minister of Sustainable Development and Wild Life – Gamini Jayawickrama Perera
04. Minister of Transport – Nimal Siripala de Silva
05. Minister of Social Empowerment and Welfare – SB Dissanayake
06. Minister of Labour and Trade Union Relations – WDJ Seneviratne
07. Minister of University Education and Highways – Lakshman Kiriella
08. Minister of Disaster Management – Anura Priyadarshana Yapa
09. Minister of Technology, Technical Education and Employment – Susil Premajayantha
10. Minister of Law and Order and Prisons Reform – Tilak Janaka Marapana
11. Minister of Health, Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine – Rajitha Senaratne
12. Minister of Finance – Ravi Karunanayake
13. Minister of Professional Development and Vocational Training – Mahinda Samarasinghe
14. Minister of Home Affairs – Vajira Abeywardena
15. Minister of Internal Affairs, Wayamba Development and Cultural Affairs – SB Nawinne
16. Minister of Mega-polis and Western Development – Patali Champika Ranawaka
17. Minister of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources – Mahinda Amaraweera
18. Minister of Plantations – Navin Dissanayake
19. Minister of Power and Renewable Energy – Ranjith Siyambalapitiya
20. Minister of Agriculture – Duminda Dissanayake
21. Minister of Buddha Sasana – Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe
22. Minister of Rural Economy – P. Harrison
23. Minister of Public Administration and Management – Ranjith Maddumabandara
24. Minister of Parliamentary Reform and Mass Media – Gayantha Karunathilaka
25. Minister of Housing and Construction – Sajith Premadasa
26. Minister of Ports and Shipping – Arjuna Ranatunga
27. Minister of Lands – MKDS Gunawardena
28. Minister of Upcountry Village Development – Palani Digambaram
29. Minister of Women and Children’s Affairs – Chandrani Bandara
30. Minister of Foreign Employment – Thalatha Athukorala
31. Minister of Education – Akila Viraj Kariyawasam
32. Minister of Rehabilitation, Resettlement and Hindu Religious Affairs – DM Swaminathan
33. Minister of Petroleum and Petroleum Gas – Chandima Weerakkody
34. Minister of Sports – Dayasiri Jayasekara
35. Minister of Southern Development – Sagala Rathnayake
36. Minister of Telecommunications and Digital Infrastructure – Harin Fernando
37. Minister of National Dialogue – Mano Ganesan
38. Minister of Primary Industries – Daya Gamage
39. Minister of Town Planning and Water Resources – Rauff Hakeem
40. Minister of Industry and Commerce – Rishad Bathiudeen
41. Minister of Public Enterprise Development – Kabir Hashim
42. Minister of Postal Service & Muslim Affairs – Mohamed Hashim Abdul Haleem