(UTV|COLOMBO) – While a parliamentary election will be held to obtain a fresh national mandate as soon as feasible, the new Government must act quickly to begin to fulfil the mandate given in the Presidential election, Presidential Gotabaya Rajapaksa told his newly appointed Government yesterday. He was speaking after swearing-in just fifteen parliamentarians, including his elder brother Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, to their ministerial posts in the new Cabinet.
In a brief, business-like ceremony that seems to be a hallmark of the Gotabaya Rajapaksa regime, the President yesterday morning appointed one of the smallest ministerial cabinets in decades and then gave them a quick no-nonsense pep talk that emphasised efficiency and warned against ministerial empire-building and sloth.
In his addess, President Rajapaksa pledged to hold a Parliamentary Election at the earliest opportunity permitted by the Constitution.
The President said that the interim government was formed with the main objective of implementing the fundamental pledges given to the people in our plan presented during the election campaign.
“People gave us a massive mandate with high expectations and we have to meet those expectations by winning the challenges ahead for us.” said the President.
The President stressed the importance of changing the unhealthy political culture and need of entering a new political era pointing out that the people of this country has shown disapproval towards the prevailing political culture.
He further said that the State Ministers of the interim Government will be appointed next Monday (25).
The President urged the newly appointed Cabinet Ministers to provide opportunities to the State Ministers to fulfill their duties without any interruption.He charged that the job performance of previous State Ministers was limited to the practicing of their signature.
Instead, he said that the Ministers should give the opportunity for the junior MPs to successfully engage in public administration.
Stressing the importance of giving equal opportunities for MPs to fill the unskilled job vacancies prevailing in the Ministries, the President instructed the Ministers to inform such vacancies to the Presidential Secretariat.He further stressed the importance of giving priority for the members of underprivileged families of the MPs’ respective areas when selecting people for unskilled job opportunities.
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