International Desk: Sri Lanka’s new Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has said that the country’s economic crisis, which has brought misery and instability, will only get worse before it gets better.
He made the remarks in an interview with the BBC. This is Wickremesinghe’s first interview given to any media after taking the oath.
Sri Lanka is going through a terrible economic crisis. Fuel shortages in the country, and rising food prices, have disrupted public life. Many citizens have to go without food.
Public outrage over the government’s response to the crisis has turned violent. Ranil Wickremesinghe has been appointed Prime Minister to quell the protests.
The Sri Lankan opposition MP has taken over as prime minister for the sixth time. He later told the BBC that he would ensure a three-course meal for all families.
“There will be no food crisis,” he said, calling for more financial support from the world community. We will find food. ”
The new prime minister has described Sri Lanka’s economy as “collapsing”. But he also said the message he wanted to send to the Sri Lankan people was, “Be patient, I will get everything back on track.”
Wickremesinghe was sworn in by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Thursday. But his appointment as Prime Minister was not well received by the people. Because he is seen as a close relative of the politically influential Rajapaksa family.
In a BBC interview, Wickremesinghe said he agreed with the protesters’ demand for the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. But that will not happen. “Blaming someone will not work,” he said. I have taken responsibility to save the people. “
Sri Lanka’s economy is declining. Food, medicine, and fuel are running out or out of reach. Some people waiting for fuel at the petrol station also died. This is the island nation’s worst economic crisis since gaining independence from Britain in 1948.
“We don’t have kerosene, we don’t have petrol, we don’t have diesel, we don’t have cooking gas, and we don’t have a stove,” said a 7-year-old woman in Colombo. We work hard every day to provide food for our children. Food prices have tripled in the last few days. How can I cope with this situation? ”
Import dependence is at the root of Sri Lanka’s economic crisis. But the foreign exchange reserves, which are urgently needed to pay the import price, are also running out.
The coronavirus epidemic has hit Sri Lanka’s economy hard. The country’s church sector has been hit by a church bombing in 2019. But experts have also blamed economic mismanagement for Sri Lanka’s current crisis.
