Minister of Finance (Sri Lanka)

Minister of Finance of Sri Lanka
මුදල්, ආර්ථික ස්ථායිකරණ සහ ජාතික ප්‍රතිපත්ති අමාත්‍ය
நிதி, பொருளாதார நிலைப்படுத்தல் மற்றும் தேசிய கொள்கைகள் அமைச்சர்
since 24 September 2024
Ministry of Finance
AppointerThe President with advice of Prime Minister
Inaugural holderJunius Richard Jayewardene
Formation26 September 1947
Websitewww.treasury.gov.lk

The Minister of Finance[1] (Sinhala: මුදල්, ආර්ථික ස්ථායිකරණ සහ ජාතික ප්‍රතිපත්ති අමාත්‍ය; Tamil: நிதி, பொருளாதார நிலைப்படுத்தல் மற்றும் தேசிய கொள்கைகள் அமைச்சர்) is an appointment in the Cabinet of Sri Lanka. The post was created in 1947 when Ceylon gained independence as Sri Lanka.

History

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The position of Treasurer of Ceylon of the British Government of Ceylon dates back to the early nineteenth century and was succeeded by the post of Financial Secretary of Ceylon under the recommendations of the Donoughmore Commission. The post of Ministry of Finance and the Treasury of Ceylon was established in 1947 under the recommendations of the Soulbury Commission under the Ceylon Independence Act, 1947 and The Ceylon (Constitution and Independence) Orders in Council 1947.[2] A young J.R Jayawardena, became the first Minister of Finance of independence Ceylon. Over time the Ministry took over the policy planning which it currently undertakes.

Beginning 4 April 2022, Ali Sabry was appointed as the new minister, replacing Basil Rajapaksa (brother of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa) in the position; However, due to the worsening of the financial crisis, Sabry tendered his resignation 5 April 2022, having served only a day in office;[3][4] However, Sabry later decided to continue serving in the capacity of finance minister.[5]

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was appointed finance minister by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Upon assuming the Presidency himself, Wickremesinghe remained Finance Minister.[6][7]

List of Finance Ministers

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Parties

  United National Party (10)   Sri Lanka Freedom Party (9)   Lanka Sama Samaja Party (1)   Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (3)   National People's Power (1)

Name Portrait Party Tenure Government Ministerial title
Junius Richard Jayewardene
(1st term) 		Junius Richard Jayewardene United National Party 26 September 1947 – 13 October 1953 Don Stephen Senanayake Ministry of Finance and the Treasury of Ceylon
Dudley Senanayake
Oliver Goonetilleke
(1st term) 		Oliver Goonetilleke United National Party 14 October 1953 – 30 June 1954 John Kotelawala
M. D. H. Jayawardena United National Party 1 July 1954 – 18 February 1956 Ministry of Finance
Stanley de Zoysa Sri Lanka Freedom Party 12 April 1956 – 22 November 1959 S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike
Wijeyananda Dahanayake
M. M. Mustapha Sri Lanka Freedom Party 22 November 1959 – 5 December 1959
Oliver Goonetilleke
(2nd term) 		Oliver Goonetilleke United National Party 21 March 1960 – 23 April 1960 Dudley Senanayake
J. R. Jayewardene
(2nd term) 		Junius Richard Jayewardene United National Party 24 April 1960 – 20 July 1960
Felix Dias Bandaranaike
(1st term) 		Sri Lanka Freedom Party 21 July 1960 – 24 August 1962 Sirimavo Bandaranaike
C. P. de Silva Sri Lanka Freedom Party 28 August 1962 – 8 November 1962
P. B. G. Kalugalla Sri Lanka Freedom Party 9 November 1962 – 10 May 1963
T. B. Ilangaratne Sri Lanka Freedom Party 29 May 1963 – 10 June 1964
N. M. Perera
(1st term) 		Lanka Sama Samaja Party 11 June 1964 – 17 December 1964
U. B. Wanninayake United National Party 27 March 1965 – 25 March 1970 Dudley Senanayake
N. M. Perera
(2nd term) 		Lanka Sama Samaja Party 10 May 1970 – 2 September 1975 Sirimavo Bandaranaike
Felix Dias Bandaranaike
(2nd term) 		Sri Lanka Freedom Party 3 September 1975 – 18 May 1977
Ronnie de Mel United National Party 23 July 1977 – 18 January 1988 Junius Richard Jayewardene
M. H. M. Naina Marikar United National Party 18 January 1988 – 3 January 1989 Ranasinghe Premadasa
Dingiri Banda Wijetunga United National Party 18 February 1989 – 31 August 1994
Dingiri Banda Wijetunga
Chandrika Kumaratunga Chandrika Kumaratunga Sri Lanka Freedom Party 30 September 1994 – 5 December 2001
Chandrika Kumaratunga
K. N. Choksy K. N. Choksy United National Party 12 December 2001 – 2 April 2004
Sarath Amunugama Sarath Amunugama Sri Lanka Freedom Party 14 April 2004 – 22 November 2005
Mahinda Rajapaksa Mahinda Rajapaksa Sri Lanka Freedom Party 23 November 2005 – 9 January 2015 Mahinda Rajapaksa
Ravi Karunanayake United National Party 12 January 2015 – 22 May 2017 Maithripala Sirisena
Mangala Samaraweera United National Party 22 May 2017 - 17 November 2019
Mahinda Rajapaksa Mahinda Rajapaksa Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna 22 November 2019 – 8 July 2021 Gotabaya Rajapaksa
Basil Rajapaksa Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna 8 July 2021 – 4 April 2022
Ali Sabry Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna 4 April 2022 – 9 May 2022
Ranil Wickremesinghe United National Party 25 May 2022 – 23 September 2024
Ranil Wickremesinghe
Anura Kumara Dissanayake National People's Power 24 September 2024 - Present Anura Kumara Dissanayake

List of Parliamentary secretaries

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Deputy ministers

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Extra Gazette No. 2281/41 of 27.05.2022 (Duties and Functions)" (PDF). documents.gov.lk. Retrieved 2022-06-10.
  2. ^ "1942 Ferguson's Ceylon Directory". Ferguson's Directory. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  3. ^ "Sabry appointed as Sri Lanka's finance minister". Reuters. 4 April 2022. Retrieved 5 April 2022.
  4. ^ "Sri Lanka's finance minister resigns a day after being sworn in - letter". Reuters. 5 April 2022. Retrieved 5 April 2022.
  5. ^ "Sri Lankan Finance Minister Who Quit After A Day Returns To Position". New Delhi Television Ltd. 8 April 2022. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
  6. ^ "Sri Lanka PM Ranil Wickremesinghe appointed Finance Minister by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa". The Hindu. PTI. 2022-05-25. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2022-08-10.
  7. ^ "Sri Lanka president expected to keep finance portfolio - source". Reuters. 2022-07-22. Retrieved 2022-08-10.
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