Prasanna Ranatunga assumes duties as Chief Government Whip

Minister of Public Security and Tourism Prasanna Ranatunga assumed duties as the Chief Government Whip at the Office in Parliament today.

Minister of Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils and Local Government and Leader of the House of Parliament Dinesh Gunawardena, Minister of Education and Plantation Ramesh Pathirana, Minister of Mass Media Nalaka Godahewa, State Ministers Indika Anuruddha, Piyal Nishantha, Sahan Pradeep Vithana, Milan Jayatilake, Upul Mahendra Rajapaksa and several Ministers and Parliamentarians were present at the occasion.

The first Parliamentarian to hold the post of Chief Government Whip of Parliament was R.S.N Gunawardena. A.E Gunasinghe, C.W.W Kannangara, W.J.C Munasinghe, J.D Weerasekera, S.K.K Sooriyarachchi, M.P.D.Z Siriwardena, J.R Jayawardena, K.B Ratnayake, Vincent Perera, Dr. Wimal Wickramasinghe, Richard Pathirana, Reggie Ranatunga, Mahinda Samarasinghe, Jeyaraj Fernandopulle, Dinesh Gunawardena, Gayantha Karunatilake and Johnston Fernando have previously held the post of Chief Government Whip.

Minister Prasanna Ranatunga is also the son of Reggie Ranatunga who previously held this post. He is an alumnus of Ananda College and has previously served as the Chief Minister of the Western Province.

After assuming duties, Ranatunga stated that his intention was to serve in the relevant post in accordance with the Constitution, while also protecting parliamentary traditions. He also pointed out that the government is taking all possible and necessary steps to move the government forward while maintaining the confidence of the people in the current situation.

Meanwhile, Minister Dinesh Gunawardena has been appointed as the Leader of the House in the Second Session of the Ninth Parliament with effect from yesterday (18), the Speaker announced in Parliament today. (Colombo Gazette)