Prez swears in 1st cabinet members

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s president swore in four new cabinet ministers on Saturday in an effort to ensure stability until a full cabinet is formed in the island nation engulfed in a political and economic crisis.

The appointment of four ministers came two days after President Gotabaya Rajapaksa reappointed five-time former Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, after his predecessor - the president’s brother Mahinda Rajapaksa resigned on Monday following violent attacks by his supporters on peaceful anti-government protesters.

His resignation automatically dissolved the cabinet, leaving an administrative vacuum.

In a move bring back stability, president Rajapaksa reappointed Wickremesinghe on Thursday and swore in four cabinet ministers on Saturday until a full cabinet is appointed.

Rajapaksa swore in ministers of foreign affairs, public administration and home affairs, urban development and power and energy, said a statement on Saturday from president’s office.

G L Peiris was appointed the foreign minister, even as the premier called for bipartisanship to tackle the island’s crippling economic crisis.

Dinesh Gunawardena was sworn in as the minister of public administration, Prasanna Ranatunga as the minister of urban development and housing and Kanchana Wijesekara as the minister of power and energy.

All four ministers belong to the president’s Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna Party. The new prime minister belongs to the United National Party.

Rajapaksa sought a unity government in early April but the largest opposition political party, the United People’s Force, or SJB, had immediately rejected the proposal.

Wickremesinghe in a letter to the SJB leader Sajith Premadasa asked him to help in tackling the economic crisis by supporting his premiership.

The island nation is on the brink of bankruptcy and has suspended repayment of its foreign loans pending negotiations on a rescue package with the International Monetary Fund.

It needs to repay $7 billion in foreign debt this year out of $25 billion due by 2026. Its total foreign debt is $51 billion. The finance ministry says the country currently has only $25 million in usable foreign reserves.

For months, Sri Lankans have endured long lines to buy fuel, cooking gas, food and medicine, most of which come from abroad. Shortages of hard currency have also hindered imports of raw materials and worsened inflation.

SRI LANKA’S ECONOMIC WOES HAVE BROUGHT ON A POLITICAL CRISIS, WITH THE GOVERNMENT FACING WIDESPREAD PROTESTS FOR SEVERAL WEEKS