COLOMBO, Nov. 19 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka announced the appointment of new secretaries for the prime minister, cabinet and 16 ministries on Tuesday, according to the President's Media Division (PMD).
The appointment letters were handed over by Secretary to the President Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, the PMD said.
Key appointments included G. P. Saputhanthri as secretary to the prime minister, Mahinda Siriwardana as finance ministry secretary, and Aruni Ranaraja as secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, according to the PMD.
The newly sworn-in cabinet held its first meeting on Tuesday. During the meeting, Minister of Health and Mass Media Nalinda Jayatissa was appointed as spokesperson for the new government.
Jayatissa was also appointed as chief government whip, while Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports, and Civil Aviation Bimal Rathnayake was named as leader of the House.
A total of 21 cabinet ministers took oaths on Monday morning before President Anura Kumara Dissanayake at the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo. ■