Colombo: Sri Lankans protest outside the president's office in Colombo, Sri Lanka
Highlights
- Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa appointed a new cabinet consisting of 17 members.
- PM Mahinda Rajapaksa became the only member of the family to retain a Cabinet position.
- All members of the cabinet had resigned earlier this month, except PM Mahinda and Prez Gotabaya.
As the island nation faces the worst economic crisis, Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa appointed a new cabinet of 17 members. Notably, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa became the only member of the family to retain a Cabinet position in his younger brother Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s new Cabinet.
The development came after all members of the Sri Lankan cabinet, except PM Mahinda and President Gotabaya, resigned earlier this month. The resignation was in response to the country's economic crisis, which led to a countrywide state of emergency and curfew. People had come out on the streets to denounce the government, and to protest against lengthy power cuts and shortage of fuel, food, and other daily essentials.
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People had also demanded the ouster of President Rajapaksa. He swore in a 17-member Cabinet on Monday in addition to the three ministers he had earlier appointed. That meant no place for the oldest member of the family Chamal Rajapaksa, Mahinda’s son Namal Rajapaksa, both of whom were Cabinet ministers, and the nephew Shasheendra who was a state minister.
Sri Lanka is facing its worst economic crisis since gaining independence from the UK in 1948. The economic crisis also triggered political turmoil in the island nation.
People continued to be in fuel and gas queues while the power cuts which were not imposed during the weekend on account of the traditional Sinhala and Tamil new year returned on Monday. The state power entity said there will be four and a half-hour power cuts on Monday.
(With PTI Inputs)
