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Sri Lanka crisis: President Rajapaksa swears in 8 more ministers

Cabinet expanded to ensure stability

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Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Monday expanded the Cabinet with the induction of eight more ministers but he did not appoint a finance minister to handle the economic affairs of the crisis-hit nation.

The new ministers who were sworn in include Douglas Devananda - Minister of Fisheries; Bandula Gunawardana - Minister of Transportation & Highway, and Mass Media; Keheliya Rambukwella - Minister of Health, Water Supply; Ramesh Pathirana - Minister of Industries; and Mahinda Amaraweera - Minister of Agriculture, Wildlife and Wildlife Conservation, the Economy Next news portal tweeted.

The other ministers were Vidura Wickramanayaka - Minister of Buddhasasana, Religion and Culture; Naseer Ahamed - Minister of Environment; and Roshan Ranasinghe - Minister of Irrigation, Sports and Youth.

President Rajapaksa on Friday had expanded his Cabinet to include nine more ministers in an effort to ensure stability until a full Cabinet is formed in the debt-ridden island nation engulfed in the worst economic crisis since its independence.

The ministers were sworn in after a delay of more than a week since the president appointed new Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

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Rajapaksa reappointed five-time former Sri Lankan prime minister Wickremesinghe, after his predecessor - the president’s brother Mahinda Rajapaksa - resigned in the wake of violent attacks by his supporters on peaceful anti-government protesters.

His resignation automatically dissolved the Cabinet, leaving an administrative vacuum.