BREAKING - Newly appointed Sri Lankan minister says president does not have to resign

by Thusiyan
Apr 4, 2022

A Sri Lankan minister who was appointed to cabinet this morning said under-fire president Gotabaya Rajapaksa does not have to resign, in comments made to reporters just moments ago.

Johnston Fernando, who was appointed minister of highways this morning after every single Sri Lankan minister except prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa resigned last night, told reporters that he believes Gotabaya “still holds the mandate of the people”.

Though protests continued to rage across the island, including near prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa’s residence, Fernando dismissed them as “minor”.

See a clip of his remarks below.

Fernando initially began his political career with the United National Party (UNP), criticising then defence secretary Gotabaya Rajapkasa and telling him to ‘go back to the USA’ after the LTTE’s devastating 2007 attack on Katunayake air base.

He complained of receiving death threats shortly afterwards.

In 2009 however, Fernando defected to the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government led by then-Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa. He was rewarded with a post as Minister for Land Development and Ranaviru Welfare.

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