Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera has taken steps to remove MP Ravi Karunanyake’s brother-in-law Romesh Jayawardene from his position as Chairman of the Development Lotteries Board (DLB).

The DLB and the National Lotteries Board (NLB) were both brought under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs after MP Ravi Karunanyake was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs during the first Cabinet reshuffle of the national unity government.

Following MP Karunanyake’s public resignation on corruption charges the DLB and the NLB were returned to the Finance Ministry under Minister Mangala Samaraweera, where they belonged.

The move by the Finance Minister to remove MP Ravi Karunanyake’s brother-in-law Romesh Jayawardene from his position as Chairman of the DLB is seen as being in keeping with the values of the ‘yahapalanaya’ government.