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• Likens situation to former Prez failing to appoint acting Defence Minister in April 2019

The former President failed to appoint an acting minister of defence when he went out of the country in April, 2019. As a result, there was no acting minister of defence when the Easter Sunday attacks took place on April 21, 2019. There was no one to take charge of defence till Mr. Sirisena returned 

By Yohan Perera and J.A.L. Jayasinghe 

More than 94 COVID -19 related deaths were reported in Sri Lanka during the past 19 days at a time when the country did not have an acting Health Minister, UNP Deputy Leader Ruwan Wijewardene said. 

Speaking during a meeting of UNP activists in Kandy on Wednesday, Mr. Wijewardene said the failure to appoint an acting Heath Minister was similar to the lapse on the part of former President Maithripala Sirisena who failed to appoint an acting Defence Minister when he was out of the country in April, 2019. 

“The former President failed to appoint an acting minister of defence when he went out of the country in April, 2019. As a result, there was no acting minister of defence when the Easter Sunday attacks took place on April 21, 2019. There was no one to take charge of defence till Mr. Sirisena returned,” the UNP Deputy Leader said.