The repeated victories in elections show that the people endorse the path taken by our government and that they believe the country is going in proper direction.

So said President Mahinda Rajapaksa addressing the new ministers and members at the Western Provincial Council who took oaths before him at Presidential Secretariat, today (May 04).

The Colombo district has varied of activities and interests from agriculture to industry, with a spread of ethnic communities which comprise the Sinhala, Tamil, Muslim, Burgher, Malay, as well as the Bohras, Chetties, Memons, Bharathas, Chinese and Malayali people. Therefore, those who seek to serve the Western Province should not look at it only from a Colombo point of view. You should look at service from wider people’s point of view. Such an attitude can bring greater glory to this victory.

The President said that victory in elections means none other than responsibility. What one accepts with victory is responsibility. Therefore, this new Western Provincial Council should seek to work with a greater sense of responsibility than previous councils.

I say this because we did not have a manifesto of promises for this election. Yet, people of the Western Province gave us more votes than ever. Today the people of our country do not think only of their stomachs when voting. The time when people voted for election promises is over. Today they place the country first. All other needs are put into second place compared to the needs of the country.

As members who have been elected by people who thought of the country first and voted for you, there is a greater responsibility upon you. The people’s representatives should also think first of the country as the people do. We must preserve this tradition of placing the country first that is shown to us by the people.

Newly appointed Ministers for the Western Provincial Council:

Mr.Prasanna Ranatunga, Chief Minister of the Western Province and Minister of Finance and Planning, Law and Order, Land, Education, Local Government and Provincial Council Administration, Manpower and Employment , and Economic Development.


Mr. Jagath Thilakasiri Perera, Minister of Healthcare, Indigenous Medicine, Social welfare and Women’s Affairs, Probation and Child care.

Mr. Upali Kodikara , Minister of Transport, Sports and Youth Affairs, Traditional and Cultural Affairs, Co-operative developments, Food Supply and Distribution Services and Rural Development.


Mr. Anthony Nimal Lansa Minister of Road Development, Electricity, Power and Energy, Housing and Building, Fisheries and Tourism.

Mr. Udaya Prabhath Gammanpila, Minister of Agricultural and Agrarian Services, Irrigation, Animal Productions and Development, Environment and Industries.