New Justice Minister Soon

UNP General Secretary and Minister of State Enterprise Development Kabir Hashim said, a new Minister of Justice and Buddha Sasana will be most likely be appointed before the next Cabinet meeting .

The vacancy for the Minister of Justice and Buddha Sasana arose with the sacking of President’s Counsel Wijeyadasa Rajapaksa, who held the portfolios, by President Maithripala Sirisena on Wednesday on the recommendation of the Prime Minister and UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe due to Rajapaksa violating Cabinet responsibility.

It is most likely that the swearing of the new minister will be either today  or Monday, given that the next Cabinet meeting would be on Tuesday(29).

Asked about speculations that are rife in Colombo’s social circles, that Minister of Foreign Employment Thalatha Athukorale would be the successor, she said that he too, had heard of it, but it was merely a rumour.

Responding to a question as to whether Wijeyadasa Rajapaksa’s successor was to get both portfolios, or whether the portfolios would be split between two individuals, she said that nothing was decided or known as of last night, as this edition was going to press.