<span style="color: #222222;">In Sri Lanka, a total of 35 Ministers of State and 3 deputy ministers were sworn in before President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa this morning. 16 cabinet ministers were sworn in last week after Gotabaya Rajapksa took over as the new President.<br />''<br />''Speaking on the occasion, the President said ministerial portfolios are important responsibilities rather than privileges. Mr. Gotabaya said they need to motivate the state sector and move towards a new era. The President said they are not able to grant positions for everyone who worked for them politically considering the limitations in the constitution.<br />''<br />''He said these positions were created considering the needs of the people that they had identified in their manifesto and during the election campaign. The President requested the cabinet ministers to give the State and deputy ministers a chance to work and assign responsibilities to them.</span><br />