Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to appoint 'new PM, young cabinet' this week
Zee News
Sri Lanka has been without a government for the last two days after President Gotabaya's elder brother and prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa resigned.
Colombo: Sri Lanka's embattled President Gotabaya Rajapaksa said on Wednesday that he will appoint a new Prime Minister and a young Cabinet this week which would introduce constitutional reforms, amid continuing widespread anti-government protests over the country's worst economic crisis.
In an address to the nation, President Gotabaya also said that after appointing the new Prime Minister, and Government a constitutional amendment will be moved to enact the content of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, which will vest more powers with the Parliament.
"I will appoint a young cabinet without any of the Rajapaksas," Gotabaya said, as he started talks with political parties to stop the country from sliding into anarchy. "The new government's Prime Minister will be awarded the opportunity to produce a new program and take this country forward," he added.
Sri Lanka has been without a government for the last two days after President Gotabaya's elder brother and prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa resigned, making way to form an all-party interim government.
The President is constitutionally empowered to run the country without a cabinet. Speaking on the violence that took place in the nation earlier this week, he said what happened on May 9 was very unfortunate.
