KOLOMBO: New Prime Minister Sri Lanka Ranil Wickremesinghe said he hoped for a closer relationship with India during his term of office and thanked India for his economic assistance to the country for handling the worst economic crisis since independence.
Ranil Wickremesinghe, 73, was appointed as Sri Lanka’s 26th Prime Minister on Thursday to stabilize the economy that was ridden by the country’s debt and ended political chaos.
I want a closer relationship and I want to thank the Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi,” said Prime Minister Wickremesinghe, referring to Indian economic assistance to his country.
His statement came during a religious ceremony held here last night after he took an oath.
India has committed more than USD 3 billion for Sri Lanka who is full of debt in loans, credit channels and credit exchange since January this year.
India on Thursday said they hoped to work with the newly formed Sri Lanka government in accordance with the democratic process and the commitment of New Delhi to the people of the island state would continue.
The 73-year-old national party leader (UNP) took over as the prime minister because the country was without the government since Monday when President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, older brother and prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa resigned when PM after violence erupted after the attack against the anti-sense of anti -The government by his supporters.
The attack sparked extensive violence against Rajapaksa’s loyalist, making nine people killed and injured more than 200 others.
Prime Minister Wickremesinghe said the focus was limited to overcoming the economic crisis.
I want to solve this problem to ensure the supply of gasoline, diesel, and electricity to the people,” said Prime Minister Wickremesinghe.
Sri Lanka faced the worst economic crisis since getting independence from Britain in 1948. This crisis is partly caused by a lack of foreign currencies, which means that the country is unable to pay the import of staple food and fuel, which leads to acute deficiencies and very high prices .
I will do the work I have done”.
Asked if he could maintain his premiership in Parliament 225 members because he only had one chair, he said: “I will prove the majority when it comes to that”.
Referring to protests throughout the island, Prime Minister Wickremesinghe said the main protest near the Secretariat of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa for more than a month would now be allowed to continue.
I will talk to them (protesters) if they want,” he said.
Asked if he was afraid of protesting demanding him to stop, he said he would face them.
If I can do work to handle the economic crisis, I will handle it too,” he said.
Ranil Wickremesinghe was appointed Prime Minister as the main opposition of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya Party (SJB) and the third largest party Janatha Vimukthi Peamuna (JVP) attached difficult conditions, such as the resignation of President Rajapaksa, to lead the interim government.
Prime Minister Wickremesinghe led a temporary government in which all political parties must become stakeholders for a limited period before facilitating parliamentary elections.
Members who are in power from Sri Lanka Podujana Peamuna (SLPP), part of the main opposition of SJB and several other parties have expressed their support to show the majority for Ranil Wickremesinghe in parliament, said the source.
However, some factions against the steps to appoint Ranil Wickremesinghe as the new prime minister.
JVP and Tamil National Alliance claim that their appointment is not constitutional.
The veteran politician is seen as close to the Rajapaksa clan. But now he does not ask for much support from the opposition or between the public. It must be seen whether he can prove his majority in parliament 225 members. “We will give him space,” said Weerasumana Weetsinghe from the Communist Party.
Former Sri Lanka Freedom Party Sri Lanka from President Maithripala Sirisena said the central committee would meet this morning to make a decision.
Political parties and political parties for the Indian-Origin plantation community, the Ceylon Workers Congress, said they would support Prime Minister Wickremesinghe.
The worst economic crisis of Sri Lanka has triggered broad protests that call for political reforms and resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
On April 1, President Rajapaksa imposed an emergency, lifting him five days later. The government concluded that the emergency returned on May 6 after the police fired tears and arrested students who protested near the parliament, which was postponed until May 17.
Although the protest was very peaceful, the police fatal fired a protester on April 19, and on several occasions had used tears and water cannons against protesters. The authorities have made many arrests and repeatedly dropped the curfew.
The political crisis was triggered at the end of March when people were injured by the cutting of long power and important shortcomings down to the streets that demanded the resignation of the government.
President Rajapaksa fired his cabinet and appointed a younger cabinet in response to the request of resignation. The continuous protest opposite the secretariat has now lasted more than a month.
On Monday, his brother Mahinda Rajapaksa resigned as prime minister to provide way for the president to appoint a government for temporary political parties.