President appoints 17 member cabinet

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa today named 17 members to the cabinet dropping most seniors and appointing younger members in an attempt to calm growing public anger over the worsening economic situation in the country. 

Three of the most vociferous supporters of the  government Johnson Fernando, Mahindanabda Aluthgamage and Rohitha Abeygunawardena were dropped from the cabinet while retaining only four seniors.

These include Dinesh Gunawardena, Prasanna Ranatunga, Douglas Devananda and Dr. Ramesh Pathirana. 

Several state ministers got promoted as cabinet ministers .

The 17 appointees are as follows:-

1. Dinesh Gunawardena – Public Administration, Internal Affairs, Provincial Councils & Local Government.

2. Douglas Devananda – Fisheries

3. Dr. Ramesh Pathirana – Education and Plantation Industries

4. Prasanna Ranatunga – Public Security & Tourism

5. Dilum Amunugama – Transport & Industries

6. Kanaka Herath – Highways

7. Vidura Wickramanayake – Labour

8. Janaka Wakkumbura – Agriculture & Irrigation

9. Shehan Semasinghe – Trade & Samurdhi Development

10. Mohan Priyadarshana De Silva – Water Supply

11. Wimalaweera Dissanayake – Wildlife & Forest Resources Conservation

12. Kanchana Wijesekera – Power & Energy

13. Thenuka Vidanagamage -Sports and Youth Affairs

14. Dr. Nalaka Godahewa – Media

15. Professor Channa Jayasumana – Health

16. Naseer Ahamed – Environment

17. Pramitha Bandara Tennakoon – Ports and Shipping