Sri Lanka’s President Gotabaya Rajapaksa will not resign despite widespread protests against his handling of the country’s economic crisis, a minister told parliament on Wednesday.
“May I remind you that 6.9 million people voted for the president,” Chief Government Whip and Highways Minister Johnston Fernando said in response to opposition criticism.
“As a government, we are clearly saying the president will not resign under any circumstances. We will face this.”
After Fernando’s speech, nearly 200 doctors, some in their blue scrubs, marched down a road by a national hospital in the commercial capital Colombo, chanting slogans against the government.
Some held a banner saying, “Strengthen people’s right to live. Declare a health emergency.”
The debt-laden country has been struggling to pay for imports due to a shortage of foreign exchange. Result from it, Sri Lankans have been suffering from shortages of fuel, power, food, drugs, and other items for weeks, and doctors say the entire health system could collapse.
“May I remind you that 6.9 million people voted for the president,” Chief Government Whip and Highways Minister Johnston Fernando said in response to opposition criticism.
“As a government, we are clearly saying the president will not resign under any circumstances. We will face this.”
After Fernando’s speech, nearly 200 doctors, some in their blue scrubs, marched down a road by a national hospital in the commercial capital Colombo, chanting slogans against the government.
Some held a banner saying, “Strengthen people’s right to live. Declare a health emergency.”
The debt-laden country has been struggling to pay for imports due to a shortage of foreign exchange. Result from it, Sri Lankans have been suffering from shortages of fuel, power, food, drugs, and other items for weeks, and doctors say the entire health system could collapse.
