Sri Lanka president names 30-member cabinet, reappoints finance minister

COLOMBO:(Net News/Media 92 News) Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena appointed a 30-member cabinet on Thursday, days after Ranil Wickremesinghe was reinstated as prime minister following a lengthy political crisis.

Mangala Samaraweera was reappointed as finance minister as parliament considers a temporary budget aimed at avoiding a government shut down from Jan. 1.

The island nation was plunged into crisis in October after Sirisena replaced Wickremesinghe with former president Mahinda Rajapaksa without the backing of parliament, leading to protests and downgrades of Sri Lanka’s debt.