# 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 Jayewardene's second limited term ended. The Jayewardene cabinet saw Sri Lanka move from being a parliamentary republic to the current executive presidency in February 1978.

## Cabinet members

| Name | Party | Office | Took office | Left office |
| J. R. Jayewardene | United National Party | Prime Minister | 23 July 1977 | 4 February 1978 |
| J. R. Jayewardene | United National Party | President | 4 February 1978 | 2 January 1989 |
| J. R. Jayewardene | United National Party | Minister of Defence | 23 July 1977 | |
| J. R. Jayewardene | United National Party | Minister of Planning and Economic Affairs | 23 July 1977 | |
| J. R. Jayewardene | United National Party | Minister of Plan Implementation | 23 July 1977 | |
| J. R. Jayewardene | United National Party | Minister of Higher Education | 14 February 1980 | |
| Ranasinghe Premadasa | United National Party | Minister of Local Government, Housing and Construction | 23 July 1977 | |
| Ranasinghe Premadasa | United National Party | Prime Minister | 6 February 1978 | 2 January 1989 |
| Ranasinghe Premadasa | United National Party | Minister of Highways | | |
| Ranjit Atapattu | United National Party | Minister of Health | | |
| Lalith Athulathmudali | United National Party | Minister of Trade | 23 July 1977 | |
| Lalith Athulathmudali | United National Party | Minister of Trade and Shipping | | |
| Lalith Athulathmudali | United National Party | Minister of National Security | 23 March 1983 | |
| Ananda Tissa de Alwis | United National Party | Minister of State | | |
| Ronnie de Mel | United National Party | Minister of Finance | 23 July 1977 | |
| Ronnie de Mel | United National Party | Minister of Finance and Planning | | 18 January 1988 |
| K. W. Devanayakam | United National Party | Minister of Justice | 23 July 1977 | |
| K. W. Devanayakam | United National Party | Minister of Home Affairs | 14 February 1980 | |
| Gamini Dissanayake | United National Party | Minister of Irrigation, Power and Highways | 23 July 1977 | |
| Gamini Dissanayake | United National Party | Minister of Lands and Land Development | | |
| Gamini Dissanayake | United National Party | Minister of Mahaweli Development | | |
| A. C. S. Hameed | United National Party | Minister for Foreign Affairs | 23 July 1977 | |
| Srisena Bandara Herath | United National Party | Minister of Food and Co-operatives | 23 July 1977 | |
| E. L. B. Hurulle | United National Party | Minister of Cultural Affairs | 23 July 1977 | |
| Shelton Jayasinghe | United National Party | Minister Posts and Telecommunications | 23 July 1977 | |
| S. de S. Jayasinghe | United National Party | Minister of Fisheries | | 26 September 1977 |
| Gamini Jayasuriya | United National Party | Minister of Health | 23 July 1977 | |
| Montague Jayawickrama | United National Party | Minister of Public Administration and Home Affairs | 23 July 1977 | |
| Montague Jayawickrama | United National Party | Minister of Public Administration | | |
| Montague Jayawickrama | United National Party | Minister of Plantation Industries | | |
| M. D. H. Jayawardena | United National Party | Minister of Plantation Industries | 23 July 1977 | |
| Wimala Kannangara | United National Party | Minister of Shipping, Aviation and Tourism | 23 July 1977 | |
| Wimala Kannangara | United National Party | Minister of Rural Development | | |
| Asoka Karunaratne | United National Party | Minister of Social Services | 23 July 1977 | |
| M. H. M. Naina Marikar | United National Party | Minister of Finance | 10 January 1988 | 3 January 1989 |
| Cyril Mathew | United National Party | Minister of Industries and Scientific Affairs | 23 July 1977 | |
| Wijayapala Mendis | United National Party | Minister of Textile Industry | 23 July 1977 | |
| Wijayapala Mendis | United National Party | Minister of Textile Industries | | |
| M. H. Mohamed | United National Party | Minister of Transport | 23 July 1977 | |
| Festus Perera | United National Party | Minister of Fisheries | 30 October 1977 | |
| Vincent Perera | United National Party | Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Sports | 23 July 1977 | |
| C. Rajadurai | United National Party | Minister of Regional Development | 5 April 1979 | |
| C. Rajadurai | United National Party | Minister of Hindu Religious Affairs | | |
| Lionel Senanayake | United National Party | Minister of Agriculture and Lands | 23 July 1977 | |
| Lionel Senanayake | United National Party | Minister of Agricultural Development and Research | | |
| C. P. J. Seneviratne | United National Party | Minister of Labour | 23 July 1977 | |
| Savumiamoorthy Thondaman | Ceylon Workers' Congress | Minister of Rural Industrial Development | 7 September 1978 | |
| Ranil Wickremesinghe | United National Party | Minister of Youth Affairs and Employment | 5 October 1978 | |
| Ranil Wickremesinghe | United National Party | Minister of Education | 14 February 1980 | |
| Nissanka Wijeyeratne | United National Party | Minister of Education | 23 July 1977 | |
| Nissanka Wijeyeratne | United National Party | Minister of Justice | 14 February 1980 | |
| D. B. Wijetunga | United National Party | Minister of Information and Broadcasting | 23 July 1977 | |
| D. B. Wijetunga | United National Party | Minister of Posts and Telecommunications | | |
| D. B. Wijetunga | United National Party | Minister of Power and Energy | | |
| D. B. Wijetunga | United National Party | Minister of Food, Agricultural Development and Research | | |
| D. B. Wijetunga | United National Party | Minister of Finance | | |

## Non-cabinet ministers

| Name | Party | Office |
| Ranjit Atapattu | United National Party | Non-Cabinet Minister of Colombo Group Hospitals |
| Dharmasena Attygalle | United National Party | Non-Cabinet Minister of Indigenous Medicine |
| Harold Herath | United National Party | Non-Cabinet Minister of Coconut Industries |
| Lionel Jayatilleke | United National Party | Non-Cabinet Minister of Education Services |
| T. B. Werapitiya | United National Party | Non-Cabinet Minister of Internal Security |

## Deputy ministers

| Name | Portrait | Party | Office | Took office | Left office |
| M. A. Abdul Majeed | | United National Party | Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Lands | 23 July 1977 | |
| M. A. Abdul Majeed | | United National Party | Deputy Minister of Power and Energy | | |
| S. S. Abeysundara | | United National Party | Deputy Minister of Fisheries | 23 July 1977 | |
| Sumanadasa Abeywickrama | | United National Party | Deputy Minister of Agricultural Development and Research | | |
| A. M. S. Adikari | | United National Party | Deputy Minister of Irrigation, Power and Highways | 23 July 1977 | |
| A. M. S. Adikari | | United National Party | Deputy Minister of Lands and Land Development | | |
| Alick Aluwihare | | United National Party | Deputy Minister of Plantation Industries | 23 July 1977 | |
| M. S. Amarasiri | | United National Party | Deputy Minister of Trade | 23 July 1977 | |
| M. S. Amarasiri | | United National Party | Deputy Minister of Trade and Shipping | | |
| John Amaratunga | | United National Party | Deputy Minister of Finance | 19 January 1988 | 9 January 1988 |
| Lalith Athulathmudali | | United National Party | Deputy Minister of Defence | 1984 | |
| R. B. Attanayake | | United National Party | Deputy Minister of Higher Education | | |
| Dharmasena Attygalle | | United National Party | Deputy Minister of Health | 23 July 1977 | |
| Gamini Atukorale | | United National Party | Deputy Minister of Youth Affairs and Employment | | |
| R. M. Dharmadasa Banda | | United National Party | Deputy Minister of Textile Industry | 23 July 1977 | |
| R. M. Dharmadasa Banda | | United National Party | Deputy Minister of Textile Industries | | |
| W. M. G. T. Banda | | United National Party | Deputy Minister of Cultural Affairs | 23 July 1977 | |
| K. D. M. C. Bandara | | United National Party | Deputy Minister of Agricultural Development and Research | | |
| Harindra Corea | | United National Party | Deputy Minister of Public Administration | | |
| Denzil Fernando | | United National Party | Deputy Minister of Industries and Scientific Affairs | 23 July 1977 | |
| Tyronne Fernando | | United National Party | Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs | | |
| Premaratne Gunasekera | | United National Party | Deputy Minister of Public Omnibus Transport | | |
| Premaratne Gunasekera | | United National Party | Deputy Minister of Health | | |
| Harold Herath | | United National Party | Deputy Minister of Janatha Estates Development | | |
| P. C. Imbulana | | United National Party | Deputy Minister of Local Government, Housing and Construction | 23 July 1977 | |
| Lionel Jayatilaka | | United National Party | Deputy Minister of Education | 23 July 1977 | |
| Chandra Karunaratne | | United National Party | Deputy Minister of Information and Broadcasting | 23 July 1977 | |
| Chandra Karunaratne | | United National Party | Deputy Minister of State | | |
| Hiripitiyage Kularatne | | United National Party | Deputy Minister of Transport | 23 July 1977 | |
| Mervyn Kularatne | | United National Party | Deputy Minister of Defence | | |
| M. H. M. Naina Marikar | | United National Party | Deputy Minister of Planning and Economic Affairs | 23 July 1977 | |
| M. H. M. Naina Marikar | | United National Party | Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning | 6 February 1978 | 19 January 1988 |
| Nanda Mathew | | United National Party | Deputy Minister of Shipping, Aviation and Tourism | 23 July 1977 | |
| Nanda Mathew | | United National Party | Deputy Minister of Mahaweli Development | | |
| Festus Perera | | United National Party | Deputy Minister of Finance | 23 July 1977 | 5 February 1978 |
| Joseph Michael Perera | | United National Party | Deputy Minister of Labour | 23 July 1977 | |
| Abeyratne Pilapitiya | | United National Party | Deputy Minister of Posts and Telecommunications | 23 July 1977 | |
| S. K. Piyadasa | | United National Party | Deputy Minister of Rural Industrial Development | | |
| G. M. Premachandra | | United National Party | Deputy Minister of Highways | | |
| G. V. Punchinilame | | United National Party | Deputy Minister of Regional Development | | |
| Sarathchandra Rajakaruna | | United National Party | Deputy Minister of Food and co-operatives | 23 July 1977 | |
| Shelton Ranaraja | | United National Party | Deputy Minister of Justice | 23 July 1977 | |
| Percy Samaraweera | | United National Party | Deputy Minister of Public Administration and Home Affairs | 23 July 1977 | |
| Percy Samaraweera | | United National Party | Deputy Minister of Home Affairs | | |
| Weerawanni Samaraweera | | United National Party | Deputy Minister of Education | | |
| J. L. Sirisena | | United National Party | Deputy Minister of Social Services | 23 July 1977 | |
| Edwin Tillakaratne | | United National Party | Deputy Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Sports | 23 July 1977 | |
| Harshanath Wanigasekera | | United National Party | Deputy Minister of Rural Development | | |
| D. B. Welagedara | | United National Party | Deputy Minister of Plan Implementation | 23 July 1977 | |
| T. B. Werapitiya | | United National Party | Deputy Minister of Defence | 23 July 1977 | |
| Ranil Wickremesinghe | | United National Party | Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs | 23 July 1977 | |
| V. L. Wijemanne | | United National Party | Deputy Minister of State Plantations | | |
| A.M.R.B Aththanayake | 100x100px]] | United National Party | Deputy Minister of High Education | 23 July 1977 | |

## District ministers

| Name | Party | Office | Took office |
| R. M. Abeykoon | United National Party | District Minister for Monaragala | |
| H. B. Abeyratne | United National Party | District Minister for Anuradhapura | |
| Keerthisena Abeywickrama | United National Party | District Minister for Matara | |
| M. L. M. Aboosally | United National Party | District Minister for Ratnapura | |
| R. M. Appuhamy | United National Party | District Minister for Badulla | |
| P. M. B. Cyril | United National Party | District Minister for Hambantota | |
| P. Dayaratna | United National Party | District Minister for Ampara | 1978 |
| Merril de Silva | United National Party | District Minister for Polonnaruwa | |
| W. M. P. B. Dissanayake | United National Party | District Minister for Kandy | |
| K. W. R. M. Ekananayake | United National Party | District Minister for Matale | |
| Tudor Gunasekara | United National Party | District Minister for Gampaha | |
| Renuka Herath | United National Party | District Minister for Nuwara Eliya | |
| Indradasa Hettiarachchi | United National Party | District Minister for Kalutara | |
| M. Kanagaratnam | United National Party | District Minister for Batticaloa | 1978 |
| Rupa Karunathilake | United National Party | District Minister for Galle | |
| M. E. H. Maharoof | United National Party | District Minister for Mannar | 1978 |
| G. D. Mahindasoma | United National Party | District Minister for Vavuniya | 1978 |
| Weerasinghe Mallimarachchi | United National Party | District Minister for Colombo | |
| Abdul Rasak Mansoor | United National Party | District Minister for Mullaitivu | 1978 |
| H. G. P. Nelson | United National Party | District Minister for Trincomalee | 1978 |
| Ranganayaki Pathmanathan | United National Party | District Minister for Batticaloa | |
| Gamini Jayawickrama Perera | United National Party | District Minister for Kurunegala | |
| N. A. Seneviratne | United National Party | District Minister for Kegalle | |
| H. B. Wanninayake | United National Party | District Minister for Puttalam | |
| U. B. Wijekoon | United National Party | District Minister for Jaffna | 1978 |