Sri Lanka: Eight more ministers take oath in PM Ranil Wickremesinghe's Cabinet

The Sri Lankan administration swore in new Cabinet ministers in Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's government on Monday, May 23. The Sri Lankan administration expanded the Cabinet with the induction of new ministers in addition to the nine ministers who had taken the oath on Friday, NewsWire reported. The Cabinet expansion comes amid the economic crisis faced by the island nation. 

Here are portfolios of the new ministers:

Douglas Devananda - Minister of Fisheries

Bandula Gunawardena - Minister of Transport and Highways as well as Mass Media

Keheliya Rambukwella - Minister of Water Supply

Mahinda Amaraweera - Minister of Agriculture, and Forest Resources and Wildlife

Ramesh Pathirana - Minister of Industries

Vidura Wickramanayake - Minister of Buddhashasana, Religious, and Cultural Affairs

Ahamad Naseer - Minister of Environment

Roshan Ranasinghe - Minister of Irrigation, and Sports and Youth Affairs

The new ministers belong to the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) and its allies, SLPP and the EPDP, PTI reported.

Previous ministers appointed to Sri Lankan Cabinet

Notably, Ranil Wickremesinghe did not appoint a Finance Minister to tackle the economic crisis. Earlier on May 20, the Sri Lankan administration had sworn in new ministers which included Tiran Alles, Minister of Public Security; Nimal Siripasa de Silva, Minister of Ports and Aviation; Susil Premajayantha, Minister of Education; Ramesh Pathirana, Minister of Plantation; Keheliya Rambukwella, Minister of Health; Harin Fernando, Minister of Tourism and Land; Manusha Nanayakkara, Minister of Labour and Foreign Employment; Nalin Fernando, Minister of Trade and Wijeyadasa Rajapaksa, Minister of Justice. 

Ministers to forego salaries

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on May 19, announced that all the new Sri Lankan ministers will forego their salaries, in a bid to ease public expenditure. Taking to his official Twitter handle, Wickremesinghe said that a limit will be placed on other benefits enjoyed by Sri Lankan lawmakers to date. He further highlighted the need for all parties to work together to appoint an all-party National Assembly to immediately address the issues in Sri Lanka. He further announced that he has accepted the offer of former Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed to assist in the relief efforts in Sri Lanka's economic recovery. 

Sri Lanka economic crisis 

It is to mention here that Sri Lanka has been facing an economic crisis coupled with shortages of food, fuel and other essential services. All this triggered massive protests in the country which eventually led to the resignation of Mahinda Rajapaksa from the Prime Ministerial post and the appointment of Ranil Wickremesinghe as the new PM. Meanwhile, the technical discussion between the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Sri Lankan government on a potential IMF loan programme is expected to conclude on May 24, ANI reported, citing IMF spokesperson Gerry Rice. 

(With inputs from ANI/PTI)