The Ministry of Highways, Ports and Shipping was a Sri Lankan government ministry responsible for the governance, implementation, creation and development of Ports including

Colombo Colombo, ( ; , ; , ), is the executive and judicial capital and largest city of Sri Lanka by population. The Colombo metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of 5.6 million, and 752,993 within the municipal limits. It is the ...

Galle Galle (, ; , ) (formerly ) is a major city on the southwestern tip of Sri Lanka, south of Colombo. Galle is the provincial capital and largest city of Southern Province, Sri Lanka and is the capital of Galle District. Galle was known as ''Gi ...

and

Trincomalee Trincomalee (; , ; , ), historically known as Gokanna and Gokarna, is the administrative headquarters of the Trincomalee District and major resort port city of Eastern Province, Sri Lanka, Eastern Province, Sri Lanka. Located on the east coast o ...

ports, Highways including Southern expressway, Colombo Outer Circular expressway, Katunayake expressway and their transport services. It was reorganized as two separate ministries, the Ministry of Ports and Shipping and Ministry of Higher Education and Highways following the formation of the

Sirisena cabinet Sirisena is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: *Maithripala Sirisena Maithripala Yapa Sirisena (; ; born 3 September 1951) is a Sri Lankan politician who served as the seventh president of Sri Lanka from 9 January 2015 to 18 No ...

in January 2015.

History

It was created in 1960, at the

Second Dudley Senanayake cabinet The Second Dudley Senanayake cabinet was the central government of Ceylon led by Prime Minister Dudley Senanayake in 1960. It was formed in March 1960 after the parliamentary election and it ended in July 1960 after the opposition's victory in th ...

as the

Ministry of Nationalised Services, Shipping & Transport Ministry may refer to: Government * Ministry (collective executive), the complete body of government ministers under the leadership of a prime minister * Ministry (government department), a department of a government Religion * Christian mi ...

. It included most of the subjects of the current ministry. Then it was renamed as the Ministry of Commerce, Trade, Food & Shipping at the

First Sirimavo Bandaranaike cabinet The First Sirimavo Bandaranaike cabinet was the central government of Ceylon led by Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike between 1960 and 1965. It was formed in July 1960 after the parliamentary election and it ended in March 1965 after the opp ...

. The highways section was included in the Ministry of Irrigation, Power & Highways in both,

Second Sirimavo Bandaranaike cabinet The Second Sirimavo Bandaranaike cabinet was the central government of Ceylon led by Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike between 1970 and 1977. It was formed in May 1970 after the parliamentary election and it ended in July 1977 after the opposi ...

and

Jayewardene cabinet The Jayewardene cabinet was the central government of Sri Lanka led by Prime Minister (later President) J. R. Jayewardene between 1977 and 1989. It was formed in July 1977 after the parliamentary election and it ended in January 1989 when Jayewar ...

. In the Jayewardene Cabinet, the shipping section was included in the Ministry of Shipping, Aviation & Tourism. In the

Premadasa cabinet The Premadasa cabinet was the central government of Sri Lanka led by President Ranasinghe Premadasa between 1989 and 1993. It was formed in January 1989 after the presidential election A presidential election is the election of any head of st ...

, the ports and shipping sections were included in the Ministry of Ports & Shipping and the Ministry of Trade & Shipping and the highways section was included in the Ministry of Transport & Highways. In the Kumaratunge cabinet (2000) the ports section was included in the

Ministry of Ports Development & Development of the South Ministry may refer to: Government * Ministry (collective executive), the complete body of government ministers under the leadership of a prime minister * Ministry (government department), a department of a government Religion * Christian mi ...

, the highways section was included in the Ministry of Highways, the shipping section was included in the

Ministry of Internal & International Trade Commerce, Muslim Religious Affairs & Shipping Development Ministry may refer to: Government * Ministry (collective executive), the complete body of government ministers under the leadership of a prime minister * Ministry (government department), a department of a government Religion * Christian mi ...

. The highways section and to some extent the shipping section was included in

Ministry of Transport, Highways & Aviation Ministry may refer to: Government * Ministry (collective executive), the complete body of government ministers under the leadership of a prime minister * Ministry (government department), a department of a government Religion * Christian mi ...

Ranil Wickramasinghe cabinet Ranil may refer to *Ranil Wickremesinghe, former President of Sri Lanka * Ranil Jayawardena, Sri Lankan British Politician * Ranil Abeynaike, Sri Lankan cricketer *Ranil Dhammika Ranil Dhammika (born 27 December 1980) is a Sri Lankan and High ...

. The highways section was included in the

Ministry of Highways & Road Development Ministry may refer to: Government * Ministry (collective executive), the complete body of government ministers under the leadership of a prime minister * Ministry (government department), a department of a government Religion * Christian mi ...

and the ports and shipping sections were included in the Ministry of Ports & Aviation in the First Mahinda Rajapaksha cabinet. The name "Ministry of Highways, Ports and Shipping" was created in Second Mahinda Rajapaksha cabinet in 2010.

Officials

* Minister of Ports and Highways (Cabinet)— the President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, Mahinda Rajapaksha. * Project Minister of Ports and Highways —

Nirmala Kotalawala Nirmala Kotalawala MP (born 29 September 1965) was Sri Lanka's Deputy Minister of Highways and a Member of Parliament representing the Kalutara Electoral District. He was a student at Nalanda College Colombo Nalanda College () is a ...

MP * Project Minister of Ports and Highways —

Rohitha Abeygunawardena Pahalage Rohitha Piyatissa Abeygunawardena (, ) (born 21 September 1966) is a Sri Lankan politician and businessman. He was the Minister of Nation Building. He is a representative of Kalutara District for the United People's Freedom Alliance in t ...

MP *

Permanent Secretary A permanent secretary is the most senior Civil Service (United Kingdom), civil servant of a department or Ministry (government department), ministry charged with running the department or ministry's day-to-day activities. Permanent secretaries are ...

— R.W.R.Pemasiri.

Ministers

;Parties

Duties and Functions

* Formulation of policies programmes and projects in regard to the subjects of Ports, Highways and Expressways and all subjects that come under the purview of the ministry. * Direction of the implementation of such policies, programmes and projects within time lines agreed with the national planning authorities and within budgeted resources, with a view to achieving relevant objectives. * Provision of all public services that come under the purview of the Ministry in an efficient and people friendly manner. * Reforming of all systems and procedures to ensure the conduct of business in an efficient manner deploying modern management techniques and technology where applicable while eliminating corruption and waste * Provision and Maintenance in optimum condition of a high quality network of national highways and other principal road * Implementation of the Maga Neguma Rural Road Development Programme * Improvement of clear co-ordination process to cover all road project implementing agencies for an integration development and monitoring collection of road user charges in respect of National Policy * Formulation of Programmes and Projects based on National Policy in respect of Provincial and Local Authority roads and co-ordination and monitoring of such programs and projects * Road Development activities connected to Kottawa, Kaduwela and Kadawatha Township Development Project * Development and Administration of ports and harbours, light houses and beacons, oil installation other than those belong to Admiralty * Arbitration of disputes between shipping Service providers and users * Establish rules of competition for shipping Services * Assist and ensure consultation between shipping service providers and users * Receiving of Wrecks and Ocean salvages * Administration of Shipping Development Fund * Freight and shipping Services * Coastwise passenger traffic

Departments

Departments, with their heads : *

Road Development Authority The Road Development Authority (commonly abbreviated as RDA); (; ) is the premier highway authority in Sri Lanka and is responsible for the maintenance and development of the National Highway Network, comprising the trunk (List of A-Grade highways ...

and its Subsidiaries and Associates, headed by Director General, W.A.S. Weerasinghe * Road Development Fund *

Sri Lanka Ports Authority Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) is the state-owned operator of major commercial ports in Sri Lanka. Founded in 1979, SLPA currently operates ports in Colombo, Galle, Hambantota, Kankesanthurai, Oluvil, Point Pedro and Trincomalee Trincomalee ...

and its Subsidiaries and Associates, headed by chairman, Priyath B. Wickrama * Ceylon Shipping Corporation Ltd and its Subsidiaries and Associates, headed by chairman,

Vice Admiral Vice admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, usually equivalent to lieutenant general and air marshal. A vice admiral is typically senior to a rear admiral and junior to an admiral. Australia In the Royal Australian Navy, the rank of Vice ...

Jayanath Colombage Admiral Jayanath Colombage, RSP, VSV, USP, FNI is a Sri Lankan flag officer and diplomat. He was the Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Foreign Secretary) until 2022, prior to which he served as Additional Secretary to the Presi ...

* Director General's Office of Merchant Shipping, headed by Director General, A W Seneviratne http://www.mohsl.gov.lk/web/index.phpoption=com_content&view=article&id=46&Itemid=34&lang=en

References

External links

Government of Sri Lanka

Ministry of Highways,Ports and Shipping

Road Development Authority

Ceylon Shipping Corporation Ltd

Sri Lanka Ports Authority

Director General's Office of Merchant Shipping
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ministry Of Ports and Highways (Sri Lanka) 1960 establishments in Ceylon Highways, Ports and Shipping Defunct transport organisations based in Sri Lanka Ministries established in 1960 Shipping in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, also known historically as Ceylon, is an island country in South Asia. It lies in the Indian Ocean, southwest of the Bay of Bengal, separated from the Indian subcontinent, ...