OFFICIAL INFORMAL NUMBER 021 (02/11/04)

C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 000234 SIPDIS OFFICIAL INFORMAL FOR SA/INS E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/11/14 TAGS: AMGT CE MV SUBJECT: OFFICIAL INFORMAL NUMBER 021 (02/11/04) Classified by Ambassador Jeffrey J. Lunstead for reasons 1.5 (b) and (d). CONTENTS: PRESIDENT SACKS NON-CABINET MINISTERS PRESIDENT SACKS NON-CABINET MINISTERS -------------- (C) We heard word late today that President Kumaratunga has ordered that 27 non-cabinet ministers and 12 deputy ministers be sacked with immediate effect. This follows reports flagged in our recent cables that she was intent on the streamlining of the PM's ministerial cohort (apparently in order to curb the UNP government's influence and ability to provide largesse during the election campaign timeframe). (Those sacked, by the way, lose their all-important official cars.) As of COB, it remains unclear how the UNP plans to react to the President's order. Our understanding is that the President has the right to do this (the PM hinted as much during his February 9 meeting with Ambassador Lunstead -- see Colombo 226). We are checking, but think that the secretaries (chief civil servants) will take over the functioning of the affected ministries until a new government is formed after the April 2 election. The dep. minister slots will apparently remain unfilled until then. We will report more on this breaking story via front-channel tomorrow. By the way, the 34-member cabinet, including the PM himself, remains in place (at least for now). (POL) LUNSTEAD