According to Prime Minister’s Office, Wickremesinghe accepted the former President’s offer and appointed him to coordinate the relief efforts….reports Asian Lite News
Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has appointed former Maldives President and Speaker of Parliament Mohammed Nasheed on Thursday to coordinate the relief efforts for the island nation.
Nasheed had offered to assist Sri Lanka in securing relief for the country from the foreign nations, Daily Mirror reported citing Prime Minister’s Office.
According to Prime Minister’s Office, Wickremesinghe accepted the former President’s offer and appointed him to coordinate the relief efforts.
Later on, the Prime Minister thanked Nasheed for his support for Sri Lanka during the economic crisis.
“I have accepted former Maldivian President @MohamedNasheed’s generous offer to assist in the relief efforts in Sri Lanka’s economic recovery by coordinating the efforts to secure foreign assistance,” Wickremesinghe tweeted.
Mahinda Rajapaksa, former Prime Minister of Sri Lanka resigned from the PM’s post, and Ranil Wickremesinghe was sworn in as the new Prime Minister. He was appointed the Sri Lankan Prime Minister for a record sixth term.
Meanwhile, PM Wickremesinghe has given his assurance to the people of Sri Lanka that he will ensure the supply of petrol, diesel, and electricity to the island country.
Earlier, Sri Lanka also witnessed massive protests at ‘Galle Face’ in Colombo in front of the Presidential Secretariat. Over 100 dissenters were injured at the Galle Face protest site during violent clashes resulting in a nationwide curfew.
‘Sufficient fuel stocks till mid-June’
Prime Minister Wickremesinghe assured the country’s lawmakers that the island nation has been able to secure sufficient stocks of diesel and petrol which will last till mid-June.
Wickremesinghe made the remarks during the ongoing first session of the Sri Lankan parliament since a change of guard that took place last week following the resignation of former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa.
The new Sri Lankan PM stressed that the stocks of fuel will reduce the long queues at the fuel stations, however, stressing that “the queues for fuel will not completely disperse”.
Wickremesinghe also explained to the house, the delay in the shipment of natural gas by the country’s premier gas supplier Litro.
He has called for an immediate explanation from the Chairman while also requesting the Chairman of the Committee on Public Enterprises to summon Litro Gas officials for an explanation, an official statement said.
The prime minister separately added that the reported orders to shoot violent protestors on sight had not been officially conveyed to the security forces during the unrest. He explained that all security forces have been instructed to follow standard procedures.
Sri Lanka is facing its worst economic crisis since independence with food and fuel shortages, soaring prices, and power cuts affecting a large number of the citizens, resulting in massive protests which culminated in the resignation of former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa last week. (ANI)