SRI LANKA'S president Gotabaya Rajapaksa announced Monday (19) that he would stand for a second term, reversing a promise to stay only for five years, media reports said.
The 72-year-old nationalist leader told top media executives that he needed more time to fix Sri Lanka's worsening economic crisis, the reports said.
During his triumphant 2019 election campaign, Rajapaksa said he would be a one-term president.
He reaffirmed in March last year that one five-year term was sufficient to implement his ambitious manifesto, triggering a succession struggle within the powerful Rajapaksa family that dominates the government.
Elections are not due until 2024, but Rajapaksa now says he needs five more years to implement his "Vistas of Prosperity and Splendour" manifesto after the economy contracted by a record 3.6 per cent in his first year. The government has banned many imports because of a foreign currency crunch.
Rajapaksa "today declared that he would contest for a second term", the pro-government The Morning website quoted him as telling media owners.
Other media also reported on the comments, which set off new speculation about the intentions of the ruling family.
The elevation of the president's youngest brother Basil, 70, as the finance minister earlier this month was widely seen as a move to groom him for presidency.
Basil was thought to have edged out his nephew, Namal, the minister of sports and eldest son of prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, to be the next family leader.
"Another U-turn and maybe this squashes Basil's chances for the next presidency," said Jamila Husain, a deputy editor of the Daily Mirror newspaper, on Twitter.
Since his election, Gotabaya Rajapaksa has tightened the family grip on power.
With the entry of Basil, the cabinet now has five members of the ruling family.
Eldest brother Chamal, 78, is the minister for irrigation. Several Rajapaksa family members hold junior ministerial positions and other key posts.
Basil was described as "Mr Ten Percent" in a 2007 US embassy cable published by the WikiLeaks organisation, because of commissions he allegedly took from government contracts.
He has denied any wrongdoing and inquiries failed to find any evidence to back charges he siphoned off millions of dollars from state coffers.
Basil is a dual US-Sri Lankan citizen, and Gotabaya removed constitutional provisions which blocked him from standing in a parliamentary election last year.
Starmer says the grooming gang inquiry will not be “watered down”
The prime minister confirmed Dame Louise Casey will work with the inquiry
Four survivors have quit the panel, raising concerns over its remit
The inquiry is still finalising its terms and chair
PRIME MINISTER Keir Starmer has said the national grooming gang inquiry will not be “watered down” and will examine racial and religious motives, after a fourth survivor quit the panel.
He was questioned at Prime Minister’s Questions by Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, who said survivors feared the inquiry was being diluted and their voices silenced.
Quoting survivors, Badenoch said they believed it would “downplay the racial and religious motivations behind their abuse” and asked: “Aren’t the victims right when they call it a cover-up?”
Starmer said survivors had been ignored for many years and that “injustice will have no place to hide.”
He confirmed Dame Louise Casey, whose report recommended a statutory inquiry, would now be working with it. He invited those who had quit to rejoin, adding: “We owe it to them to answer their concerns.”
Jess, not her real name, became the fourth survivor to step down, joining Fiona Goddard, Ellie Reynolds and Elizabeth. Her lawyer Amy Clowrey confirmed her resignation.
Another survivor, Samantha Walker-Roberts, told the BBC she would stay on the panel and wanted the inquiry’s remit widened beyond grooming.
The inquiry, announced in June, is still finalising its terms and chair.
One potential chair, Annie Hudson, withdrew earlier this week over conflict of interest concerns linked to her social work background, while another nominee, former police chief and child abuse expert Jim Gamble, met survivors on Tuesday.
By clicking the 'Subscribe’, you agree to receive our newsletter, marketing communications and industry
partners/sponsors sharing promotional product information via email and print communication from Garavi Gujarat
Publications Ltd and subsidiaries. You have the right to withdraw your consent at any time by clicking the
unsubscribe link in our emails. We will use your email address to personalize our communications and send you
relevant offers. Your data will be stored up to 30 days after unsubscribing.
Contact us at data@amg.biz to see how we manage and store your data.