Unity Govt. to continue until 2020 with a cabinet reshuffle

Friday, 16 February 2018 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The coalition government will continue its term until the next elections in 2020 with a reshuffle in the cabinet of ministers Co-Cabinet Spokesman, Minister of Health, Nutrition, and Indigenous Medicine, Dr Rajitha Senaratne said yesterday.

At the weekly cabinet news briefing held at the Department of Government Information on Thursday, the Co-Cabinet Spokesman said both the President and the Prime Minister will continue their services and the reshuffle of the Cabinet of Ministers will take place within this week.

He said President Maithripala Sirisena will make a statement tomorrow on the future course of the unity government.

The Minister further said that the local government election result is a “red light” to the government and therefore necessary steps will be taken to rectify previous mistakes and move forward on a strong path.

He reiterated that the overall poll results clearly confirmed that former president Mahinda Rajapaksa has no chance of victory at a future general election, since compared to the Presidential election results in 2015, the results of the local government polls show a reduction of votes in favor of him.

He added that although a cabinet reshuffle would take place, the existing ‘Good Governance Government’ will continue for the remaining two-and-a-half-years, in the same way. It is expected that some ministers representing Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) will leave the unity government and new ministers will be appointed to fill those portfolios.

Co-Cabinet Spokesman, Minister Gayantha Karunatilaka said, the government, upon humbly accepting the people’s verdict at the Local Government Polls, will rectify its shortcomings and move forward successfully.

He observed that since there are a few more years for the present government’s term to end, speedy amendments and restructuring will be effected, to bring about the required rectifications.

Minister Karunatilaka said vast changes will be made in the government and the United National Party. He expressed his confidence that in the near future the citizens will be able to see the government’s successes shine.