The Government's ministerial crisis

COLOMBO (News 1st) - Subjects, state institutions and the relevant duties of Cabinet and Non-Cabinet Ministers were announced through an extraordinary gazette notification issued on Friday night (December 28). However various views are being expressed about this within the government itself and the opposition. According to this gazette, there are some ministries with no state institutions under them. One such ministry is Ministry of Buddha Sasana & North Western Development. Though there are three institutions that come under the Ministry of Buddha Sasana, subject minister Gamini Jayawickrema Perera has not been assigned any institution under the subject of North Western Development. When News 1st made an inquiry from the Minister whether or not the North Western Development has been assigned under him and the institution gazetted under the area, he said that financial allocations are received for the purpose. He continued to say that this is an open Ministry which has not been approved through law or an act. Meanwhile, the Sri Lanka Telecom and Sri Lankan Airlines which was under the Ministry of Transport have not been mentioned in the aforesaid gazette notification. In response to this State Minister of Transport & Civil Aviation, Ashok Abeysinghe said that it is not under the Transport Ministry and that they will look into the matter, He continued to say that he hopes the President and the Prime Minister will look into the matter and include it in the Gazette as well. Opposition commentary Meanwhile, UPFA MP Bandula Gunawardena says that a state of utter chaos has arisen and that many had requested from the President not to entrust matters of national security and the development of the country to certain ministries. He continued to say as per requests made by the people who love the country that the President will use his full authority to save the country once he returns to the country. UPFA MP, Ranjith Zoysa stated that if the present government decides to increase the cabinet to more than 30 then the joint opposition under the leadership of Mahinda Rajapaksa as the main opposition of the parliament will go before courts against the matter. Government MPs commentary  Similar to the opposition views expressed in such a manner with regard to ministerial posts and the subjects that come under their preview, certain MPs of the government also seemed disappointed about the current incidents. UNP MP Lakshman Wijemanne noted that he has dedicated himself to the UNP and had even at times sold his personal property for the sake of the party, he noted that he required a ministerial position to serve the people who had supported him for years. Also commenting on the matter, Leader of the Up-Country People's Front, V. Radhakrishnan said that he was promised a Ministerial position that would allow him to do some service to the estate sector people. He continued to say that they are deeply saddened by the fact that certain MPs have been landed with two to three Ministerial posts while certain others appointed from the national list have also been handed increased facilities. As mentioned by Radhakrishnan, who are these cabinet ministers appointed through the national list? They are;

• Thilak Marapana
• Malik Samarawickreme

In response to a query, wether the Prime Minister had deceived him, MP V. Radhakrishnan said that it was after much consideration that he had stepped down to a non-cabinet ministerial post from a cabinet ministerial post. He continued to say that if the premiere doesn't do this as well then he would have to believe that he is being deceived. Also speaking on the crisis over Ministerial portfolios within the government, JVP central committee member, Wasantha Samarasinghe noted that there is presently a huge conflict over the division of Ministries. He noted that in the face of this squabble the future of the country, the children, the uniform materials required by the children and the teachers have been neglected. Wasantha Samarasinghe continued to say that as usual, the government continues to burden the people even in this situation, accommodating the taxpayers money for the purpose of paying their salaries, for fuel allowances etc. He added that once again that the government is not capable of solving the problems of the people and that it is quite clear that the government possesses no vision or plan whatsoever for the future.