Cabinet structure outlines govt. intentions: SJB

The government has made its intentions clear through the synopsis of its cabinet, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) said yesterday.

SJB National List MP Harin Fernando told a media briefing that the government has clearly indicated that its intentions with regard to the 19th Amendment by allowing the President to hold the Defence Ministry portfolio. “It looks like the government had violated the 19th Amendment even before the meeting of the new Parliament. This gives an indication what the government intends doing with regard to this particular piece of legislation,” Mr. Fernando said.

“Appointing Ali Sabry as the Minister of Justice is another indication how the government is going to deal with the Judiciary. We are not bothered about Mr. Sabry’s ethnicity but he is the man who was retained by most of those in the new cabinet for court cases filed against them. The government could be having an intention of victimising political opponents, and this might be the reason Mr. Sabry was given the portfolio of justice,” he said.

However Mr. Fernando said he was happy about the appointment of MP Namal Rajapaksa as the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports. “We are happy about the portfolio given to Mr. Rajapaksa as he is young and energetic. We hope he implements the project which we began to construct a sports complex for each province,” he said.

At the same time he said what Sri Lanka has got is an aging cabinet. “Most of the cabinet Ministers are over 70 years of age,” he said. MP S. M. Marikar who elaborated on this point said the retirement age of public servants should be extended to 70 years. “All public servants should be allowed to work until they are 70 if politicians are allowed to hold ministerial portfolios despite passing the age of 70,” he said.

Mr. Marikar who hit hard on the UNP calling it the two percent party which was rejected by the people and has not got into a conflict on deciding on its national list slot.(Yohan Perera)