Amid the ongoing political instability in Sri Lanka, central bank governor P. Nandalal Veerasinghe has warned that “if the new government does not take power in the next two days, the economy will collapse completely and no one will be able to handle it.”
Talking to the media in the capital Colombo, Nandlal Veerasinghe said that political stability is very important to bring the situation in the country back on track. Veerasinghe took over as the governor of the country’s central bank ‘Central Bank of Sri Lanka’ just a month ago. Veerasinghe also said in clear words that he would step down after two weeks if the situation did not change.
Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa vowed to appoint a new cabinet after his brother Mahinda Rajapaksa stepped down as prime minister amid widespread protests against the government over the country’s economic crisis. Addressing the nation on television, President Rajapaksa said, “I am taking steps in a week to appoint a new Prime Minister, who has the confidence of the majority in Parliament, who can win the confidence of the people and control the current situation, Be able to form a new cabinet and prevent the country from moving towards anarchy and run the government.
“I will appoint a youth cabinet without any aide of Rajapaksa,” he said. The President also spoke on the unprecedented violence that took place on Monday after the resignation of the Prime Minister. “The series of heinous acts of murder, assault, intimidation, destruction of property and subsequent heinous acts cannot be justified at all,” he said.
He said the police and the three armed forces have been ordered to “strictly enforce the law against those who spread violence”. They will investigate to find out those who were involved in the incidents of Monday’s violence.
Meanwhile, former prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and his family have been taken to Trincomalee Naval Base, where they are being kept under security after their private residence was set ablaze during violent clashes on Monday. Defense Secretary General (retd) Kamal Gunaratne said, “He will not be there forever.” After the situation returns to normal, they will be shifted to the residence or place of their choice.”
As troops have been deployed on the streets of Colombo and at various posts across the country, the Defense Secretary also refuted speculations of a military takeover. In a press conference, Gunaratne said, “None of our officers have the aspiration to take over the government. This has never happened in our country, and it is not easy to do it here.”