July 08, Colombo: Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna National List Parliamentarian Basil Rohana Rajapaksa was sworn in as a new Member of the 9th Parliament before the Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena this morning.

Earlier today, Basil Rajapaksa took oaths as the Minister of Finance before President Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the Presidential Secretariat.

With his Ministerial appointment, Basil Rajapaksa has taken over the Ministry of Finance from Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, while the Prime Minister has been given a new ministerial portfolio.

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa has been sworn in as the Minister of Economic Policies and Plan Implementation.

“Congratulations Hon Basil Rajapaksa for assuming pivotal responsibility and taking over the Finance Ministry, at a critical time for Sri Lanka’s economy. We stand by you in this journey, and commit to support the vision of a prosperous Sri Lanka,” Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna said in a Twitter message.

Basil Rajapaksa, founder of the ruling party Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), was declared a National List MP by the Election Commission yesterday after former SLPP MP Jayantha Ketagoda resigned to pave the way for the Rajapaksa brother to enter the legislature.

This is the 03rd time that he represents Parliament. Parliamentarian Basil Rohana Rajapaksa was elected to Parliament from the National list of the United Peoples Freedom Alliance in 2007. In the 2010 parliamentary election he was elected from Gampaha district by obtaining the highest number of preferential votes in Sri Lanka. He gained record 425,861 preferential votes.

He was the cabinet minister for Economic Development from 2007 to 2010 in the 06th Parliament and 2010 to 2015 in the 07th Parliament. He has held a number of positions as Senior Advisor to the President and head of Presidential Task Forces.

Born on the year 1951 in Giruwapaththuwa, Hambantota Basil Rohana Rajapaksa is the head of the Presidential Task Force for Economic Reviewal and Poverty Eradication and Presidential Task Force on Creating a Green Sri Lanka with Sustainable Solution to Climate Change. He was educated in Isipathana College Colombo & Ananda College.