Sri Lanka new parliament gets finance and legal minds

Apr 21, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s main opposition United National Party has appointed an economist and a banker to parliament while a minority party has appointed a lawyer experienced in commercial litigation.

Tissa Vitharana and G L Pieris, former university professors, were re-appointed by the ruling United National Freedom Alliance.

Both are ministers in the current administration. The United National Party has appointed economist Harsha de Silva, who was also a banker and Eran Wickremeratne, who resigned as chief executive from listed National Development Bank to enter parliament.

The minority Tamil National Alliance has appointed M Sumandiran, who practices in superior and commercial courts.

Sumandiran has appeared in high profile public interest cases which ended in reversals of privatizations and also in civil liberties issues.