Sri Lankan ministers fired for criticizing economic policy

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Sri Lanka’s president has dismissed two more cabinet ministers after they publicly criticized the government’s handling of the economy, which they say is causing serious hardship for the people.

The president’s office said on Thursday that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had fired Energy Minister Udaya Gammanpila and Industry Minister Wimal Weerawana.

A total of three ministers have now been removed from their jobs for criticizing the government’s economic policies.

Both Gammapila and Weerawansa played key roles in bringing Rajapaksa to power and are now among a group of about 30 lawmakers in the ruling alliance who are calling on the government to change its economic course.

The country is facing a severe foreign exchange shortage due to a sharp decline in foreign tourists and exports due to the pandemic and large debt obligations related to infrastructure projects.

The lack of dollars for imports has caused shortages of basic products such as milk, medicine and fuel. Dwindling fuel supplies forced daily 7.5-hour power outages as generators couldn’t run.

There are long queues at gas stations and vehicles are stuck on the roads because they have run out of tanks. Fishermen demand fuel to operate their boats, and farmers are unable to operate harvesting machinery.

Gammanpila publicized foreign exchange shortages and accused the government of not prioritizing the import of medicines and fuel. Weerawansa said authorities had prioritized projects such as highway construction, ignoring people’s immediate needs.