New Cabinet not expected on Friday: PM

COLOMBO: Newly-appointed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe says he accepted the President’s invitation by choosing to deliver solutions over practising petty politics.

Speaking to the media following his swearing-in, PM Wickremesinghe stressed that the country’s economy needs to be rescued and the people are living with great difficulty.

Wickremesinghe took oaths before President Gotabaya Rajapaksa this evening (May 12) at the President’s House in Colombo.

“The next few months are going to be tougher than now, however, we must come out of this [crisis]. We can’t do this alone. We need help from other nations and the IMF,” he continued.

The new prime minister also stressed that the rupee should be given it proper value and that the youth must once again feel like they have a future.

In response to a question, the prime minister said the appointment of a new Cabinet of Ministers is not expected tomorrow.

When asked what would happen to the anti-government protests, PM Wickremesinghe responded: “We will not lay a finger on the GotaGoGama protest site. It has to continue. The police will not do anything either.”