Prez wants Cabraal to give strong leadership to Central Bank

By Shyam Nuwan Ganewatte

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has requested State Finance Minister Ajith Nivard Cabraal to return as the Governor of the Central Bank, highly placed government sources told The Island.

Cabraal served as the Governor from 2006 to 2014.Sources said that the government was also contemplating enhance powers of the Governor and make the position on par with that of a Cabinet minister.

Sources said that SLPP National List member was considering the President’s offer.

The government was of the view that the Central Bank needed a strong leadership to face the economic and balance of payments crises against the backdrop of raging Covid-19 epidemic, sources said. sources said.

State Minister Cabraal, contacted for comment told The Island that he couldn’t either deny or confirm whether President Gotabaya Rajapaksa made such an offer.