New Cabinet Ministers and Deputies

Four new Cabinet Ministers and six Deputies were sworn in before President Mahinda Rajapaksa at President’s House yesterday.

Keheliya Rambukwella was sworn in as Mass Media and Communication Minister, Arumugam Thondaman as Livestock and Rural Community Development Minister, Prof Tissa Vitharana Technology and Research Minister and S. B. Dissanayake Higher Education Minister.

Dr Sarath Amunugama was sworn in as Finance and Planning Deputy Minister, Mervyn Silva Highways Deputy Minister, Mahindananda Aluthgamage Youth Affairs Deputy Minister, Faizer Mustapha Environment Deputy Minister, M. K. D. S. Gunawardana Buddha Sasana and Religious Affairs Deputy Minister and Dr Jagath Balasooriya Labour Relations and Productivity Improvement Deputy Minister. The swearing in was followed by the inaugural Cabinet meeting of the UPFA Government with President Mahinda Rajapaksa as the Chair.

New Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella

* Entered politics as Democratic National Front member in 1993.

* Contested 2000 General Election on UNP ticket from the Kandy District and entered Parliament for first time.

* Held Science and Technology Portfolio in the 2001 UNP Cabinet.

* Joined hands with President Mahinda Rajapaksa in 2006 and appointed Plan Implementation Minister in UPFA Government.

* Responsible for setting up Media Centre for National Security.

* Held Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare Portfolio in the last UPFA Government.