Immediate talks on common programme; SJB and SLFP give positive response By Damith Wickremasekara  The new Prime Minister Dinesh Gunwardena is to co-ordinate talks with political parties in an effort to form an all-party government with options open to expand the Cabinet, the Sunday Times learns. Premier Gunawardena will be tasked to negotiate with the [...]

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New PM on mission to form all-party govt.

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Immediate talks on common programme; SJB and SLFP give positive response

By Damith Wickremasekara 

The new Prime Minister Dinesh Gunwardena is to co-ordinate talks with political parties in an effort to form an all-party government with options open to expand the Cabinet, the Sunday Times learns.

Premier Gunawardena will be tasked to negotiate with the political parties represented in Parliament immediately a common programme in which they could play a role in the government.

Two main parties, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) led by Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa and the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) led by former President Maithripala Sirisena, have stated they are willing to consider joining a National Government depending on the proposals put forward.

Government sources said the current plan was to keep the number of cabinet ministers to 25 and state and deputy ministers to less than 40, but the numbers could be increased depending on the response from other parties.

Constitutionally, in the event a national government is formed, the number of Cabinet ministers, state ministers and deputies could be determined by Parliament.

Under prevailing circumstances, the Constitution states the Cabinet cannot exceed 30 members and the state and deputy minister positions should not exceed an aggregate of 40.

A ‘National Government’ has been described in the Constitution “as a Government formed by the recognised political party or the independent group which obtains the highest number of seats in Parliament together with the other recognised political parties or the independent groups.”

So far only 18 ministers have been sworn in to what has been described as an ‘Interim Cabinet’ .

The discussions due to be held with other parties will be centred on the structure and progrmame of the all-party government.

A cabinet reshuffle is due to follow after discussion with other parties in Parliament.

“After the model of the all-party government is submitted, we are willing to discuss the proposals within the party and take a final decision,” SJB General Secretary Ranjith Madduma Bandara told the Sunday Times.

SLFP General Secretary Dayasiri Jayasekara said they would consider the proposals if their party proposals too were accommodated, but would also have to decide whether they would accept ministerial positions.

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