Lankan Prez Dissanayaka opts for smaller Cabinet with fresh faces

Colombo: Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayaka on Monday appointed a 21-member Cabinet in the new NPP government, keeping with his pre-election promise to streamline the governance system and ease the burden on taxpayers.

The National People’s Power (NPP) has been advocating a smaller government to reduce costs for the public. Since the NPP won the presidential election in September, the government functioned with just 3 ministers, including the President. As per the island nation’s Constitution, there is a provision for appointing a 30-member Cabinet. Dissanayaka retained the finance and defence portfolios, while appointing 12 new parliament members to key positions and entrusting eight veteran members, who have served since 2000, with significant responsibilities.

Among the fresh faces in the Cabinet are five academic professors. PM Harini Amarasuriya who holds the education portfolio and Saroja Savithri Paulraj who has the women’s and child affairs portfolio are the two women members in Cabinet.