Amid public continued protests and demand for his resignation, Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Monday appointed a new cabinet, almost two weeks after all ministers resigned from their posts, as anger grew over the mishandling of the economy. Except for Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, who had not resigned earlier and continued in their position, the new cabinet doesn’t have any member of the ruling Rajapaksa family.

Significantly, the formation of the new cabinet, which included many former ministers, came after opposition parties refused the government’s offer to form an all-party cabinet. This despite hundreds of protestors continuing to camp at Galle Face seafront, outside the seaside Presidential Secretariat in Colombo for over ten days, seeking the resignation of President Rajapaksa.

Sri Lanka, which has been facing its worst economic crisis in decades, last week announced a default on its external debts, totaling over $50 billion, as it struggles to maintain its foreign exchange reserves needed for the imports of fuel, food, and other essentials.

Across the nation there is a shortage of food. fuel, medicines and other essentials, with people standing in long long queues for hours to get fuel and other supplies. Power cuts as long as 10 hours a day are adding further misery to the public.

The crisis led to the erosion of the public confidence in the government that came with a two-thirds majority just two years back. Once the strongmen in the island politics, Rajapaksas are today failing to keep their allies and MPs together.

Anyone seeing associated with the ruling Rajapaksas has been the target of protesters, a majority of whom are young students and professionals. And this remains the primary reason behind the reluctance of other parties in joining a government led by the Rajapaksa family.

Recently, 40 government lawmakers asked the speaker of Parliament to allow them to sit in the opposition, reported The Morning. Two of the recently nominated ministers publicly refused to join the cabinet. 

Meanwhile, the opposition has been planning to move in a no-confidence motion against President Rajapaksa and is actively engaging with former allies of the government to oust the president, which remains the key demand of protestors.
Finance Minister Ali Sabry has left for Washington to hold talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), seeking emergency assistance of over $4 billion to cope with the crisis. Furthermore, the government is also looking for additional assistance from India, which has so far extended $2.4 billion to the island country.

(SAM)