Cabinet shake-up, a scapegoat: JVP

 

The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) yesterday questioned if the government had used its Cabinet reshuffle as a scapegoat to avoid taking responsibility for its failure to uphold and fulfill its pledge to have a corrupt-free government.

Communist and Marxist-Leninist Party Leader Anura Dissanayaka said: "It appears that the reshuffle has been made to give undue validation to the ministers of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) so that they may continue to hold fast to their incumbent ministries with additional subjects bestowed upon them by dint of the reshuffle.”

The reshuffle has seen some ministers who deserved to be punished for their poor conduct of handling their ministries and various action of corruption being perked up to hold other ministries, he said.

He said Ministers S B .Dissanayaka and John Seneviratna who have been whining of late, have been comforted thought the Cabinet reshuffle by piecing up additional subjects to their ministries.

“Minister Mahinda Amaraweera, due to his UPFA General Secretary position, has got his portfolio dressed up with another cut from the reshuffle,” he said.

“Thilak Marapana who had to leave his ministerial portfolio earlier for defending fraudulent company Avant Garde, has been brought back as a minister. He is the new minister for Development Assignments,” he said.

“We have many ministers on the subject of development, that is Minister Malik Samarawickrema for Strategic Development, Sarath Fonseka for Regional Development, Sagala Ratnayaka for Southern Development, John for Sabaragamuwa Development and S.B Dissanayaka for Kandian Heritage.

In spite of having a list of ministers for taking care of the country’s development, Marapana too receives a new development ministry,” he said.

“What remarkable development we should have under so many ministers?” he asked.

He said one has to ask oneself whether these ministerial portfolios keep rolling for their own development or the country’s development.”

Highways Minister Lakshman Kiriella who faced allegations of malpractices in connection with a number of projects and for appointing a large number of advisers and coordination secretaries to his ministry, is safe and sound.

So is Power and Renewable Energy Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya who faces allegations of corruption over coal deals, he said.

“Minister Harrison, who let middlemen profit from paddy stock sales, Agriculture Minister Duminda who wastes Rs 24 million a month for a building are safe under the Cabinet reshuffle,” he said. 

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