Cabinet Roulette: Questioning the Rationality of Jumbled Cabinet Reshuffles

Abstract

On October 23, 2023, a cabinet reshuffle took place, during which the ministerial portfolios of four MPs were changed. Accordingly, former Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella was appointed as the new Minister of Environment, while MP Mahinda Amaraweera was appointed as the Minister of Agriculture and Plantation Industries. Meanwhile, MP Ramesh Pathirana was appointed as the new Minister of Health, in addition to his current portfolio as Minister of Industries, while State Minister of Finance Ranjith Siyambalapitiya was appointed as the Non-Cabinet Minister of Plantation Enterprises, in addition to his current post. In light of this, Manthri.lk observed three issues that make this reshuffle irrational. One concerns fragmentation and misalignment, where related subjects are split across different ministries and unrelated subjects are grouped together under the same ministry. The second involves a clash of interests, as one minister oversees one or more unrelated portfolios. This is the case with MPs Ramesh Pathirana and Ranjith Siyambalapitiya. In the current cabinet, this is visible even with President Ranil Wickremesinghe who is the Minister of Defence, Minister of Finance, Economic Stabilization and National Policies, Minister of Women, Child Affairs and Social Empowerment, Minister of Technology and Minister Investment Promotions. Lastly, it is evident that this reshuffle is merely a rotation of the same ministers to new portfolios, without appointing other MPs. This only further enhances cabinet irrationality. Considering this, Verité Research's white paper 'A Rational Method for Cabinet Formation in Sri Lanka' delves into how a more rational cabinet can be developed.