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President accepts new ministers to make cohabitation governance work

President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga has decided to accept the recommendations for the appointment of seven non-Cabinet Ministers albeit with strong objections in order to "pursue her one- sided effort at making cohabitation governance work", the President's Office stated.

She has however refused to cede the Ministry of Disaster Management and Emergency holding the view that she was well versed with the subjects coming under this Ministry which should be carried out by the Head of State under the guidance of the Prime Minister and other Ministers.

The President was responding to three letters written to her by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe recommending the appointment of seven non-Cabinet Ministers and one Deputy Minister.

The President had observed that she had already decided to set up a Disaster Management Secretariat in addition to the present Disaster Management Board, which will carry out the recommendations made by the Prime Minister.

The President also notes that it is not appropriate to have non- Cabinet Ministers coordinate and supervise the functions of Cabinet Ministers.

Referring to the appointment of MP Sarathchandra Rajakaruna as Minister in charge of Disaster Management and Emergency the President had proposed to the Prime Minister that he (Rajakaruna) be allocated some other subject from among the additional portfolios held by certain other Ministers.

The President also reiterated her position that the appointment of new Ministers on top of the 58 already there, was a waste of State resources. She has recalled that the PA in a term of six years in office functioned with just 21 Ministers in the first three years and 28 in the balance period. In its second term in office the number of Ministers increased to 42 but the number of Deputy Ministers were kept to a minimum.

She found it difficult to accept the change in policy of the Prime Minister who had lent his approval for the appointment of 65 Ministers when he (the Premier) and the UNP while in Opposition criticised the appointment of 42 Ministers.

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