The Old Parliament building, which now houses the Presidential Secretariat and the Ministry of Finance, is a prominent landmark that cannot be missed when passing Galle Face Green in Colombo Fort. This magnificent architectural structure symbolizes its historic importance even amidst the surrounding giant constructions erected in later years. The building housed the Sri Lanka Legislative Council for 53 years till the new Parliament was opened at Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte in 1983. Hence, it was in this building that the vital discussions and
debates on the rebuilding of a post-independent Sri Lanka took place.

The idea to construct this building was first mooted by Sir Henry E. McCallum in 1912. The proposal made by a committee to construct the new building for “the Secretariat, Council Chamber and Government offices on reclaimed land at the Northern end of Galle Face” was accepted by the Government in 1920 and the plans for the building with three floors was approved in April 1925. The building was designed according to the ‘Ionic Style’, one of the five architectural orders, and resembles the temple of the Greek Goddess Athena, which stands even today on the Acropolis hills in Athens. Chief Architect of the Public Works Department, A. Woodson, was responsible for the design of the old Parliament which incorporated an open outlook to ensure maximum ventilation from the sea breeze flowing across the Galle Face Green. Opposite this Neo-Baroque classical sandstone structure, one can still see the old cannon, located on the edge of Galle Face, pointing towards the Indian Ocean. This perhaps is a reminder that it was once a military stronghold.

In March 1927, an estimate of Rs. 400,000 for the whole scheme including the Secretariat was forwarded to the Government for sanction. Later it was revised by the Public Works Advisory Board to Rs. 450,000 including extra expenses for lifts etc. The required sanction was given in June 1927.

The building is built of solid stone. Special precautions were taken to reinforce the foundation as it was to be built on reclaimed land from the Beira Lake, and the entire
structure was put up on heavy reinforced concrete piles.

The stone for the basement had been quarried at Ruwanwella, an inland town about 40 miles from Colombo. A special quarry was acquired for the purpose of making approximately 1,000 tons of stone and brought to the site. Another 530 tons of stone were brought later to be used in the framework. The heaviest single girder was 51 feet long and weighed 7 tons.

At the end of 1927, the steel framework, concrete floors and the brick walls were completed. A flight of 20 steps, each 50 feet wide, leads to five large doorways of the main entrance to
the hall. Behind it is a corridor 30 feet wide, designed in a classically simple, yet very attractive style.

In 1997 this building was heavily damaged due to the bomb explosion occurred at Galadari Hotel and restoration of the building has done by the Department of Building and restoration
work had been completed in year 2000.

General Planning of old Building

There are four floors,

Total area of the all floors - 183,872.00 Sq. ft.

(Including Corridors, Washrooms & Other Common Area)

The outside dimensions of the building are,

Length - 489 L.ft
Width - 200 L.ft
Height - 80 L.ft

Total area of the site - 04 acres 53 perches

Finance Ministers

**Finance Ministers**
No.	Photo			Date appointed	Date Vacated
First Parliament 1947/10/14 - 1952/04/08 (House of Representatives)
01		Hon. J.R.Jayewardene	Minister of Finance	1947/09/26	1952/05/24
Second Parliament 1952/06/09 - 1956/02/18 (House of Representatives)
02		Hon. J.R.Jayewardene	Minister of Finance	1952/06/09	1953/10/13
03		Hon. Sir Oliver Ernest Goonetilleke	Minister of Finance and Leader of the Senate	1953/10/14	1954/07/23
04		Hon. M.D.H. Jayewardene	Minister of Finance	1954/07/01	1956/02/18
Third Parliament 1956/04/19 - 1959/12/05 (House of Representatives)
05		Hon. Stanley De Zoysa	Minister of Finance	1956/04/12	1959/05/20
06		Hon. M.M. Musthapha	Minister of Finance	1959/09/26	1959/09/29
07		Hon. Stanley De Zoysa	Minister of Finance	1959/09/29	1959/11/22
08		Hon. M.M. Musthapha	Minister of Finance	1959/11/22	1960/03/19
Fourth Parliament 1960/03/10 - 1960/04/23 (House of Representatives)
09		Hon. J.R.Jayewardene	Minister of Finance, and of Local Government and Housing and Leader of the House	1960/03/21	1960/04/23
Fifth Parliament 1960/08/05 - 1964/12/17 (House of Representatives)
10		Hon. Felix R. Dias Bandaranaike	Minister of Finance and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Defence and External Affairs	1960/07/21	1960/08/24
11		Hon. C.P. De Silva	Minister of Finance, Minister of Agriculture, Land, Irrigation and Power and Leader of the House	1962/08/28	1962/11/08
12		Hon. P.B.G. Kallugalle	Minister of Finance	1962/11/08	1963/05/10
13		Hon. T.B. Illangaratne	Minister of Finance	1963/05/29	1964/06/10
14		Hon Dr. N.M. Perera	Minister of Finance	1964/06/11	1964/12/17
Sixth Parliament 1965/04/05 - 1970/03/25 (House of Representatives)
15		Hon. U.B. Wanninayake	Minister of Finance	1965/03/27	1970/03/25
Seventh Parliament 1970/06/07 - 1972/05/22 (House of Representatives)
16		Hon Dr. N.M. Perera	Minister of Finance	1970/05/31	1972/05/22
First NSA 1972/05/22 - 1977/05/18 (National State Assembly)
17		Hon Dr. N.M. Perera	Minister of Finance	1972/05/22	1975/09/02
18		Hon. Felix R. Dias Bandaranaike	Minister of Finance	1975/09/03	1977/05/18
Second NSA 1977/08/04 - 1978/09/07 (National State Assembly)
19		Hon. R.J.G. De Mel	Minister of Finance	1977/07/23	1978/09/07
First Parliament DSR 1978/09/07 - 1988/12/20 (Democratic Socialist Republic)
20		Hon. R.J.G. De Mel	Minister of Finance and Planning	1978/09/07	1988/01/18
21		Hon. N.H.M. Naina Marikar	Minister of Finance and Planning	1988/01/19	1989/01/03
Second Parliament DSR 1989/03/09 - 1994/06/24 (Democratic Socialist Republic)
22		Hon. R. Premadasa	President, Minister of Finance	1989/01/05	1989/02/18
23		Hon. D.B. Wijetunga	Minister of Finance	1989/02/18	1994/08/16
Third Parliament DSR 1994/08/25 - 2000/08/18 (Democratic Socialist Republic)
24		Hon.Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga	Minister of Finance, Planning Ethnic Affairs and National Integration	1994/08/19	2000/10/10
Fourth Parliament DSR 2000/10/18 - 2001/10/10 (Democratic Socialist Republic)
25		Hon.Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga	Minister of Finance	2000/10/19	2001/12/05
Fifth Parliament DSR 2001/12/19 - 2004/02/07 (Democratic Socialist Republic)
26		Hon. K.N. Choksy	Minister of Finance	2001/12/12	2004/04/02
Sixth Parliament DSR 2004/04/22 - 2010/02/09 (Democratic Socialist Republic)
27		Hon.Dr.Sarath Amunugama	Minister of Finance	2004/04/10	2005/11/22
28		Hon. Mahinda Rajapaksa	President and Minister of Finance	2005/11/23	2010/04/08
Seventh Parliament DSR 2004/04/22 - 2015/06/26 (Democratic Socialist Republic)
29		Hon. Mahinda Rajapaksa	President and Minister of Finance	2010/04/22	2015/01/09
30		Hon. Ravi Karunanayake	Minister of Finance	2015/01/12	2015/06/26
Eighth Parliament DSR 2015/09/01 - 2020/03/02 (Democratic Socialist Republic)
31		Hon. Ravi Karunanayake	Minister of Finance	2015/09/04	2017/05/22
32		Hon. Mangala Samaraweera	Minister of Finance and Mass Media	2017/05/22	2018/10/26
33		Hon. Mahinda Rajapaksa	Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs	2018/10/26	2018/11/15
34		Hon. Mangala Samaraweera	Minister of Finance and Mass Media	2018/12/20	2019/11/21
35		Hon. Mahinda Rajapaksa	Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Economy and Policy Development, Minister of Buddhasasana, Cultural and Religious Affairs and Minister of Urban Development, Water Supply and Housing Facilities	2019/11/21	2020/03/02
Ninth Parliament DSR 2020/08/20 - (Democratic Socialist Republic)
36		Hon. Mahinda Rajapaksa	Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Minister of Buddhasasana, Religious & Cultural Affairs and Minister of Urban Development & Housing	2020/08/09	2021/07/08
37		Hon. Basil Rajapaksa	Minister of Finance	2021/07/08	2022/04/03
38		Hon. M.U.M. Ali Sabry	Minister of Finance	2022/04/04	2022/05/09
39		Hon. Ranil Wickremesinghe	Minister of Finance	2022/05/25	2024/09/22
40		Hon. Anura Kumara Dissanayake	Minister of Finance	2024/09/23	Up to now

List Of Deputy Ministers, State Ministers of Finance
No.			Date appointed	Date Vacated
First Parliament 1947/10/14 - 1952/04/08 (House of Representatives)
01	Senator Herbert Eric Jansz	Parliament Secretary to the Minister of Finance
02	Senator Louis Lucian Hunter	Parliament Secretary to the Minister of Finance
First Parliament 1952/06/09 - 1926/02/18 (House of Representatives)
03	Senator Louis Lucian Hunter	Parliament Secretary to the Minister of Finance	1952/06/09	1953/07/01
04	Reginald Sydney Vernon Poulier	Parliament Secretary to the Minister of Finance	1953/08/27	1953/10/19
05	M.D.H. Jayawardhana	Parliament Secretary to the Minister of Finance	1953/10/19	1954/01/07
06	U.B. Wanninayake	Parliament Secretary to the Minister of Finance	1954/01/07	1956/04/05
Third Parliament 1956/04/19 - 1959/12/05 (House of Representatives)
07	Senator Chandradasa Wijesinghe	Parliament Secretary to the Minister of Finance	1956/04/12
08	Nimal Karunatillake	Parliament Secretary to the Minister of Finance		1959/05/20
09	M.M. Musthapha	Parliament Secretary to the Minister of Finance	1959/09/29	1959/11/22
10	D.T. Pasqual	Parliament Secretary to the Minister of Finance	1959/11/22	1960/01/02
Fourth Parliament 1960/03/10 - 1960/04/23 (House of Representatives)
-	-	-	-	-
Fifth Parliament 1960/08/05 - 1964/12/17 (House of Representatives)
11	George Rajapaksa	Parliament Secretary to the Minister of Finance	1960/08/05	1962/08/24
12	Reginald Sydney Vernon Poulier	Parliament Secretary to the Minister of Finance	1962/08/28	1962/11/08
13	Mudiyanse Tennakoone	Parliament Secretary to the Minister of Finance	1962/11/09	1963/09/28
14	S.K. Karunadasa	Parliament Secretary to the Minister of Finance	1963/11/29	1964/06/10
15	J.P. Obeysekere	Parliament Secretary to the Minister of Finance	1964/06/11	1964/12/03
Sixth Parliament 1965/04/05 - 1970/03/25 (House of Representatives)
16	Nanediri Wimalasena	Parliament Secretary to the Minister of Finance	1965/04/05	1970/05/27
Seventh Parliament 1970/06/07 - 1972/05/22 (House of Representatives)
-	-	-	-	-
First NSA 1972/05/22 - 1977/05/18 (National State Assembly)
17	W.N. de Alwis	Deputy Minister of Finance	1975/10/01	1977/05/18
Second NSA 1977/08/04 - 1978/09/07 (National State Assembly)
18	M. Festus Perera	Deputy Minister of Finance	1977/07/23	1978/02/06
19	M.H.M. Neina Marikkar	Deputy Minister of Finance	1978/02/06	1978/09/07
First Parliament DSR 1978/09/07 - 1988/12/20 (Democratic Socialist Republic)
20	M.H.M. Neina Marikkar	Deputy Minister of Finance	1978/09/15	1988/01/18
21	John Amaratunga	Deputy Minister of Finance	1988/01/19	1989/01/09
Second Parliament DSR 1989/03/09 - 1994/06/24 (Democratic Socialist Republic)
22	J Harold Herath	Minister of State for Finance	1989/02/18	1990/03/28
23	J Harold Herath	Minister of State for Finance	1990/03/30	1994/08/15
Third Parliament DSR 1994/08/25 - 2000/08/18 (Democratic Socialist Republic)
24	Jeyaraj Fernandopulle	Deputy Minister of Finance	1994/09/01	1994/09/22
25	G.L. Peiris	Deputy Minister of Finance	1994/09/22	2000/10/10
Fourth Parliament DSR 2000/10/18 - 2001/10/10 (Democratic Socialist Republic)
26	G.L. Peiris	Deputy Minister of Finance	2000/11/25	2001/09/13
27	S.B. Dissanayake	Deputy Minister of Finance	2000/11/25	2001/09/13
28	Mangala Samaraweera	Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning	2001/09/14	2001/12/07
Fifth Parliament DSR 2001/12/19 - 2004/02/07 (Democratic Socialist Republic)
29	Bandula Gunawardana	Minister of Rural Economy and Deputy Minister of Finance	2001/12/12	2004/02/07
Sixth Parliament DSR 2004/04/22 - 2010/02/09 (Democratic Socialist Republic)
30	Ranjith Siyambalapitiya	Deputy Minister of Finance	2004/04/10	2005/11/22
31	Ranjith Siyambalapitiya	Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning and Deputy Minister of Higher Education	2005/11/23	2007/01/27
32	Rohana Dissanayake	Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning	2005/11/23	2005/11/25
33	Ranjith Siyambalapitiya	Minister of State Revenue and Finance (Non Cabinet)	2007/01/28	2007/09/03
34	Ranjith Siyambalapitiya	Deputy Minister of Finance	2007/09/04	2010/04/09
35	Ranjith Siyambalapitiya	Minister of State Revenue and Finance (Non Cabinet)	2007/09/04	2010/04/09
36	Sarath Amunugama	Deputy Minister of Finance	2009/01/17	2010/04/09
Seventh Parliament DSR 2010/04/22 - 2015/06/26 (Democratic Socialist Republic)
37	Chandrasiri Gajadeera	Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning	2010/04/23	2010/11/22
38	Sarath Amunugama	Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning	2010/05/05	2010/11/22
39	Gitanjana Gunawardena	Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning	2010/11/22	2012/11/01
40	Mahinda Samarasinghe	State Minister of Finance	2015/03/22	2015/06/26
Eighth Parliament DSR 2015/09/01 - 2020/03/02 (Democratic Socialist Republic)
41	Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena	State Minister of Finance	2015/09/18	2017/05/30
42	Eran Wickramaratne	State Minister of Finance	2017/05/31	2018/10/26
43	Lasantha Alagiyawanna	Deputy Minister of Finance and Mass Media	2017/05/31	2018/10/26
44	Anura Priyadharshana Yapa	State Minister of Finance	2018/11/07	2018/11/15
45	Eran Wickramaratne	State Minister of Finance	2018/12/21	2019/11/21
Ninth Parliament DSR 2020/08/20 - (Democratic Socialist Republic)
46	Shehan Semasinghe	State Minister of Samurdhi, Household Economy, Micro Finance, Self Employment, Business Development and Underutilized State Resources Development	2020/08/12	2020/09/25
47	Ajith Nivard Cabraal	State Minister of Money & Capital Market and State Enterprise Reforms	2020/08/12	2021/09/13
48	Shehan Semasinghe	State Minister of Samurdhi, Household Economy, Micro Finance, Self Employment and Business Development	2020/09/25	2022/04/28
49	Shehan Semasinghe	State Minister of Finance	2022/09/08
50	Ranjith Siyambalapitiya	State Minister of Finance	2022/09/09

Finance Secretaries

Finance Secretaries
No.	Photo	Name/Time Period
01		Mr. C.E. Jones (29.09.1947 – 12.12.1950)
02		Mr. T.D. Perera (13.12.1950 – 12.03.1951)
03		Mr. A.G. Ranasinha (13.03.1951 – 13.10.1954)
04		Mr. L.J. Seneviratne (14.10.1954 – 14.08.1956)
05		Mr. S.F.Amarasinghe (15.08.1956 – 31.05.1961)
06		Mr. H.S. Amarasinghe (01.06.1961 – 10.10.1963)
07		Mr. H.E. Tennekoone (11.10.1963 – 18.12.1963)
08		Mr. H.J. Samarakkody (19.12.1963 – 14.11.1968)
09		Mr. M. Rajendra (15.11.1968 – 06.05.1971)
10		Mr. C.A. Cooray (17.05.1971 – 01.07.1975)
11		Dr. L.R. Jayewardena (16.07.1975 – 08.03.1978)
12		Dr. W.M. Thilakeratne (28.03.1978 – 04.02.1987)
13		Mr. B. Mahadeva (05.02.1987 – 19.07.1987)
14		Mr. C. Chanmugam (20.07.1987 – 31.12.1988)
15		Mr. R. Paskaralingam (04.01.1989 – 18.01.1994)
16		Mr. N.V.K.K. Weragoda (19.01.1994 – 18.08.1994)
17		Mr. A.S. Jayawardena (19.08.1994 – 07.11.1995)
18		Mr. B.C. Perera (08.01.1996 – 31.01.1998)
19		Mr. Dixon Nilaweera (16.03.1998 – 01.11.1999)
20		Dr. P.B. Jayasundera (01.11.1999 – 18.12.2001)
21		Mr. J. Charitha Ratwatte (19.12.2001 – 02.04.2004)
22		Dr. P.B. Jayasundera (19.04.2004 – 17.09.2008)
23		Mr. S. Abeysinghe (18.09.2008 – 29.09.2009)
24		Dr. P.B. Jayasundera (29.09.2009 – 09.01.2015)
25		Dr. R.H.S. Samaratunga (12.01.2015 – 26.10.2018)
26		Mr. S.R. Attygalle (31.10.2018 – 30.12.2018)
27		Dr. R.H.S. Samaratunga (31.12.2018 – 19.11.2019)
28		Mr. S.R. Attygalle (20.11.2019 - 07-04-2022)
29		Mr. K.M. Mahinda Siriwardana (08.04.2022 - up to now)

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