Sri Lanka’s ‘smallest cabinet ever’ takes charge, Harini Amarasuriya appointed as PM
PM Harini Amarasuriya of Sri Lanka
Harini Amarasuriya has been appointed as Sri Lanka's new prime minister by the new president, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, making her the third woman to be appointed to the post. 55-year-old Dissanayake was elected president in elections held on Sep 21. His National People's Power (NPP) alliance is known for favouring Marxist economic policies centred on protectionism and state intervention.
Amarasuriya will be the country’s new premier, with additional charge of justice, education, health, and labour. The college professor and first-time lawmaker is best known for her activism on gender equality and minority rights issues.
Amarasuriya has replaced Dinesh Gunawardena, who resigned from his post following the recent presidential polls.
Amarasuriya and two lawmakers aligned with Dissanayake’s People's Liberation Front (JVP) will share all ministerial responsibilities with them.
On Tuesday, NPP parliamentarians Vijitha Herath and Laxman Nipunarachchi were also sworn in as cabinet ministers.
"We will have the smallest cabinet in the history of Sri Lanka," party member Namal Karunaratne told reporters on Tuesday. "Parliament dissolution will happen thereafter. It could be within the next 24 hours."
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More about PM Harini Amarasuriya
Amarasuriya was born in 1970 and holds a Bachelors degree in Sociology. She also holds a PhD in Social Anthropology from the University of Edinburgh. She is also a board member of the Law and Society Trust at the Centre for Women's Research and Nest, which is a local community-based mental health organisation.
Sri Lanka's Parliament website states that Amarasuriya has been a part of several parliamentarian committees, including Women Parliamentarians Caucus in Parliament, Sectoral Oversight Committee on International Relations, Parliamentary Caucus for Animal Welfare, Committee on Ethics and Privileges, and Committee on Public Accounts, among others.
Amarasuriya is the third woman prime minister of Sri Lanka, following the world's first woman prime minister, Sirimavo Bandaranaike in 1960, and her daughter Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga.
(With inputs from agencies)