New Cabinet to be sworn-in on Friday | Sunday Observer
Prime Minister takes oaths for record fourth time today:

New Cabinet to be sworn-in on Friday

9 August, 2020

The swearing-in ceremony of the new SLPP Cabinet will be held at the Audience Hall, Magul Maduwa, Kandy under the patronage of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Friday, August 14.

Reliable sources said that the new Cabinet of Ministers must be limited to 30 under the 19th Amendment to the Constitution.

The sources said the composition of the new SLPP Government would most probably be 26 Cabinet Ministers and 40 State and Deputy Ministers. According to the sources, two or three Cabinet Ministerial portfolios will be offered to the SLFP. Former President Maithripala Sirisena and former Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva are tipped to be given Cabinet portfolios.

Party leaders who were not in the former Cabinet are expected to receive Cabinet portfolios this time. Only the Cabinet Ministers will take oaths in Kandy on August 14. The swearing-in ceremony of State and Deputy Ministers will be held later.

The sources said all 15 Cabinet Ministers of the caretaker Government might secure Cabinet portfolios while some SLPP heavyweights such as Prof. G.L. Peiris, Vasudeva Nanayakkara and Udaya Gammanpila will also be given Cabinet Ministerial slots. The Election Commission spokesperson said the names of the new elected MPs will be gazetted today and the parties have been given time till tomorrow (10) to present their national lists. The SLPP presented its National list with 17 names on Friday and none of the defeated candidates had been nominated in the list. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa told the Kandy Esala perahera conclusion ceremony at the President’s House, Kandy recently that the new Cabinet of Ministers would be appointed from among those competent to drive the country on the path of development. The President said that achieving development goals would not be difficult if bribery and corruption are eliminated.

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