New Cabinet to meet on Wednesday

by Manjula Fernando

The Cabinet of Ministers of the new Government is due to meet on Wednesday.

Public Order, Disaster Management and Christian Affairs Minister John Amaratunga said he is yet to receive the notice for the meeting but the Cabinet would meet on Wednesday as customary.

Responding to a question as to how the new Government would function and implement the 100-day program following the new development of President Maithripala Sirisena assuming the SLFP leadership, he said the 100-day program will not be affected by the SLFP unification.

“We have reached an agreement that we will implement the policies in the election manifesto which was circulated among people before the election.” For that purpose a Cabinet of Ministers had been appointed and the Cabinet will implement the policies of their subjects. “There is no issue,” he said adding that none of the MPs in the Opposition have been appointed Ministers and those Ministers who have been already appointed by President Maithripala Sirisena will have to carry out the implementation of the 100-day program.

They will prepare Cabinet papers outlining their plan of action to implement the program that paved the way for the Common Opposition to come to power at the last Presidential election and present it at the first Cabinet meeting.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on Friday discussed important matters with the Ministers with regard to carrying out their pledges to the people.

Minister Amaratunga said that the Finance Ministry is getting ready to present a supplementary budget in Parliament soon to allocate funds for the 100-day program.