Sri Lanka's new Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa (L, front) is appointed as the minister of Finance, Economic Affairs, Policy Development, Buddha Sasana, Cultural, Water Supply and Urban Development and Housing Affairs at the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Nov. 22, 2019. (Gayan Sameer/Xinhua)
COLOMBO, Nov. 22 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Friday appointed a new 16-member cabinet which will function till the next parliamentary election is announced.
The new ministers took oaths in front of the president at the Presidential Secretariat in the capital of Colombo.
Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa who was appointed as new prime minister on Thursday was appointed as the new minister of Finance, Economic Affairs, Policy Development, Buddha Sasana, Cultural, Water Supply and Urban Development and Housing Affairs.
The other ministers appointed by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa include Dinesh Gunawardena as minister of Foreign Affairs, Skills Development, Employment and Labor Relations, while Prasanna Ranatunga as minister of Tourism, Aviation, Industrial Exports and Investment Promotions.
Some other ministers include Johnston Fernando who was named as Minister of Highways and Roads, Ports and Shipping, and Nimal Siripala De Silva who was appointed as Minister of Justice, Human Rights and Legal Reforms.
"I congratulate the new members of the cabinet. Together with the interim cabinet that was just appointed until the Parliamentary Election, we look forward to serving all Sri Lankans," Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa said in a statement on his official Twitter account soon after the new cabinet took oaths.
The new cabinet was appointed two days after Ranil Wickremesinghe, the former prime minister, stepped down from his post after his ruling party candidate Sajith Premadasa was defeated by Gotabaya Rajapaksa in a Presidential Election held last Saturday.
Wickremesinghe said he stepped down from the premiership to enable the new president to form a new cabinet, respecting the people's mandate. ■
