Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe said he is bound to protect the Constitution and listen to the people’s opinion through the constitution.
Prime Minister making a special statement to media yesterday(11) said he will not work outside of the provisions of the Constitution.
The Premier said he accepted the post of Prime Minister since the country’s economy collapsed and the people suffered with rising cost of living and fuel, gas shortages. “I have not seen such a suffering before. That’s why I accepted the post.”
The Prime Minister said that the collapsed economy cannot be revived in one or two days and it will take at least a year to take the basic steps, at least four years, according to the IMF. However, the country now needs an all-party government.
Commenting on the incident of burning his private house, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said, “The only house I had was set on fire.
He said the reasons behind his personal residence being set on fire could be the result of a false statement that was circulated during the party leaders meeting held on Saturday.
“I had no other houses in Sri Lanka or abroad. That house has been burnt down today. My greatest wealth was the library. It had 2500 books, some are 300, 200 years old and some signed by famous people like Kissinger.”
The Premier said he was not planning on holding on to the books forever, adding that he and his wife had decided to donate the books to Royal College, Colombo 07, the University of Peradeniya, and an international relations institution.
PM Wickremesinghe said he had prized paintings dating back 200 years, of which he said he has one painting remaining.
The Prime Minister also said he had the Tripitaka, numerous Buddhist statues that he was going to gift, including work by modern day artists, adding that all this has today been ruined by the fire.
Premier Wickremesinghe stated that such actions are typical Hitler-like actions.
The Premier said the Presidential Secretariat, the President’s House, and the Temple Trees have been ruined while valuable documents have been destroyed.
The Prime Minister also stated that a government must work constitutionally and according to the legislature.
He added an all-party government will be formed and steps are being taken towards this purpose.
