Fourth Rajapaksa sibling joins Sri Lankan government

We stand by you in this journey, and commit to supporting the vision of a prosperous Sri Lanka, the party said on its Twitter account.Only the members of parliament are eligible to become ministers.The ruling SLPP believes that Basils entry as a key political strategist would revive the governments fortunes amidst the pandemic.The government of late has come under the hammer for sluggish economic performance, rapidly dwindling foreign reserves, a huge external debt portfolio and its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Basil Rajapaksa, the youngest of the four Rajapaksa siblings, was sworn in as Sri Lanka's Finance Minister on Thursday, marking the further consolidation of political power by the powerful clan in the island nation.

Basil, 70, became the fourth Rajapaksa brother after President Gotabaya, 72, Prime Minister Mahinda,75, and Agricultural Minister Chamal, 78, to enter the Cabinet.

He took the oath before President Gotabaya.

With the entry of Basil in the Cabinet, there are as many as seven family members in the top echelons of the government.

The Finance Ministry until Thursday morning was under Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa. Mahinda has now been given a new portfolio of economic policy and plan implementation.

Namal, the elder son of Mahinda, is the Cabinet minister of sports, while Shasheendra the son of Chamal is a state minister. Nipuna Ranawaka, a government backbencher is the nephew of the big four.

Basil was seen as the livewire and the intellectual pillar in the Mahinda Rajapaksa administration between 2010 and 2015.

A dual citizen of the US and Sri Lanka, Basil headed all key task forces from economic management to environment under the current administration of Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

Basil, who did not contest the last parliamentary election in August 2020, entered parliament through the national list of elected parliamentarians.

A ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP or Sri Lanka People's Front) national list MP resigned this week to make way for Basil to enter Parliament.

“Congratulations Hon Basil Rajapaksa for assuming pivotal responsibility and taking over the Finance Ministry, at a critical time for Sri Lanka’s economy. We stand by you in this journey, and commit to supporting the vision of a prosperous Sri Lanka,” the party said on its Twitter account.

Only the members of parliament are eligible to become ministers.

The ruling SLPP believes that Basil’s entry as a key political strategist would revive the government’s fortunes amidst the pandemic.

The government of late has come under the hammer for sluggish economic performance, rapidly dwindling foreign reserves, a huge external debt portfolio and its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.