Pen sketches of senior Ministers

Nine Ministers who represented the public in Parliament for several decades and made greater contribution for the country’s development were sworn in as Senior Ministers covering key areas that can revive the country’s development in line with the Mahinda Chinthana Idiri Dekma.

Former Prime Minister and senior SLFP stalwart Ratnasiri Wickramanayake was appointed as Senior Minister for Good Governance and Infrastructure. Prior to this new appointment, Wickramanayake was appointed State Management Reforms Minister on April 23, 2010.

Wickramanayake who entered the Legislature in 1960 held a Cabinet portfolio in the United Front Government led by Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike and held a Ministerial portfolio under the Chandrika Bandaranaike Government in 1994.

He was the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka from 2000 to 2001 and 2005 to 2010. Wickramanayake entered Parliament in 1960 from the Mahajana Eksath Peramuna and joined the Sri Lanka Freedom Party in 1962 on the invitation of late Premier Sirimavo Bandaranaike. He represents the Horana electorate and completed 50 years in politics last year.

Former Ministers Athauda Seneviratne and Minister D E W Gunasekera took oaths as Rural Affairs Minister and the Human Resources Minister before the President yesterday. Minister Gunasekera represented people of Kegalle district in Parliament for several decades and held various Cabinet portfolios.

Seneviratne represents the Kegalle district. Former Ministers P. Dayaratne, A H M Fowzie, S B Nawinna and Piyasena Gamage received Senior ministerial portfolios while former Technology and Research Minister Prof Tissa Vitharana took oaths as the Senior Minister of Scientific Affairs.

Don Edwin Weerasinghe Gunasekera was first appointed as Constitutional Affairs and National Integration Minister in 2004 and he held that portfolio till 2010. Former Minister and one time Chairman of Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited Dr Sarath Amunugama was appointed Senior Minister for International Monetary Cooperation. Dr Amunugama was the Deputy Finance Minister and an advisor to President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Dr Amunugama joined the Ceylon Civil Service and was the last intake of cadets in 1962 before it was established as the Sri Lanka Administrative Service.

Dr Amunugama has been a Government Agent for Kandy district and a permanent Secretary to the Information Ministry.

CP