Rajapaksa reshuffles cabinet, six new deputy ministers

Colombo: Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa reshuffled his cabinet Monday and appointed ten new ministers, the President's office said.

Presidential spokesman Mohan Samaranayaka said that six new deputy ministers were also appointed in the cabinet reshuffle. Among the major notable changes were those at the power and energy ministry and petroleum resources ministry, reported Xinhua.

AFP

Pavithra Wanniarachchi was appointed the new minister of power and energy while the minister who held that post earlier, Champika Ranawaka, was appointed the minister of technology and research.

Former petroleum resources minister Susil Premajayantha was named the new minister of environment while Anura Priyadharshana Yapa took over as the new minister of petroleum resources.

The former ministers of petroleum and power and energy had been in the media spotlight in the recent past after both the state-owned Ceylon Petroleum Corporation and the Ceylon Electricity Board began to suffer losses.

Lakshman Seniviratne was named the minister of sugar industries, Jayaratna Herath the minister of botanical gardens and public enterprises, Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena the investment promotion minister, Duminda Dissanayake the education services minister, Basir Segu Daud the minister of productivity promotion and Wijith Wiheyamuni Soyza the minister of wildlife conservation.

IANS