Exclusive | I am not a CEO, I am a prime minister, says Ranil Wickremesinghe

Ranil Wickremesinghe was appointed Prime Minister of Sri Lanka amidst the worst economic condition since the country’s independence and widespread protests. However, there have been constant allegations of corruptionthat he was handpicked by the Rajapaksa family as a stopgap solution to the volatile situation. However, in an interview with WION Managing Editor Palki Sharma, Wickremesinghe made it clear that he is not a “CEO” appointed by the Rajapaksas but an “Independent Prime Minister”.

“I am not a CEO. I am a Prime Minister. Prime Minister is never a CEO. A Prime Minister in our system is the one who heads the parliament and who leads the government in parliament. I can't be a CEO. I am an independent Prime Minister. No as far as we are concerned, we have to sort it out in the cabinet. Or in parliament. Decision I make, in some issues I consult him (President) in some decisions he make, He consults me. Not in all decisions, that's how the cabinet runs,” the PM said.

The Sri Lanka government has proposed the 21st Amendment to the constitution which can annul unfettered powers given to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Wickremesinghe said that that the decision was taken after discussions with Rajapaksa, and it will be discussed next week in the parliament.

“We had two rounds of discussion with party leaders and agreements. It will be taken up in the next meeting. And there after the 21st Amendment would be presented to the party leaders. We are also looking for the outcome of the court case the SJB has initiated which will give ruling on powers of the President, ministries. So, we have to amend it if the court case is different from our draft.”

“The members asked some more time to go through it. They brought it in last moments that's why.”

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