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New Ministry to be formed for Basil – Sources

28 Jun 2021

  • MR likely to remain Finance Minister

  • Institutions under Finance Min to be transferred

By Buddhika Samaraweera   While Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa will continue to hold the post of Finance Minister, Basil Rajapaksa will be appointed a new Cabinet ministerial post which will be created by merging a number of institutions under the Finance Ministry, high level sources at the Finance Ministry told The Morning. Despite reports that there are plans to give Basil Rajapaksa the post of Finance Minister, the sources within the Ministry claimed that Mahinda Rajapaksa will not be resigning from the post of Finance Minister.  “There may be some changes, but most likely the post of Finance Minister will be held by Mahinda Rajapaksa himself and a separate ministry such as the Ministry of Economic Revival will be established and handed over to Basil Rajapaksa,” the sources stated. Most of the responsibilities of the Finance Ministry, according to said sources, are to be transferred to the new Ministry. However, the sources said that no final decision had been taken thus far and that the final decision may change according to future developments. However, they claimed: “Basil Rajapaksa will definitely come to Parliament, but the arrival will take some time. What will happen can only be seen at the last moment.” Meanwhile, backbenchers of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) were scheduled to hand over a letter to Basil Rajapaksa yesterday (27) requesting the latter to enter Parliament on the SLPP national list. According to party sources, the letter was handed over during a discussion held at the SLPP office last evening. Economic Revival and Poverty Eradication Presidential Task Force Head Basil Rajapaksa, returned to the country on 24 June, after he left the country on 12 May for the US. He was welcomed by a group including State Minister Nimal Lanza upon his arrival at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) in Katunayake. Speaking to the reporters, Lanza said that Basil Rajapaksa would follow quarantine regulations. Basil Rajapaksa was a member of Parliament from 2007 to 2015. During the period from 2005 to 2010 he served as a Presidential Senior Advisor for then President Mahinda Rajapaksa and was the Cabinet Minister of Economic Development from 2010 to 2015. Basil Rajapaksa has also held the citizenship of the US since 1997, and the laws barring dual citizens from entering Parliament, that was introduced through the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, were revoked through the 20th Amendment which was passed in October, 2020. Meanwhile, in response to a question raised at a recent media briefing regarding reports that Basil Rajapaksa is to enter the Parliament, State Minister Dilum Amunugama said that in order for Basil Rajapaksa to enter Parliament, a Member of Parliament elected from the National List should resign. “Such a discussion is taking place. Accordingly, it will be decided in the future who will leave,” he said.  


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