Sabry continues as Finance Minister

MP Ali Sabry informed the House yesterday (08) that he would continue as the Finance Minister because the President did not accept his resignation.

The Minister made this remark in response to a question of Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK) MP M.A. Sumanthiran in Parliament.

Earlier in the day, ruling party MP Kanchana Wijesekara said that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had not accepted the letter of resignation tendered by Ali Sabry from the post of Finance Minister, and therefore, the latter still held the post.

When Ali Sabry was speaking in Parliament,

Sumanthiran raised a Point of Order and requested him to make a clarification regarding

Wijesekera’s statement.

In response, Ali Sabry revealed that he was functioning as the Finance Minister.

“If you (the Opposition) can prove you have the backing of 113 MPs in Parliament we will hand over the government to you and sit in the Opposition. There can be many who are more suitable for the Finance Minister than I am. Unfortunately, when we invited them to come and take over the post, no one came forward. Therefore, I will do my best for the sake of the country,” he said.

Ali Sabry, the Former Justice Minister was appointed as the country’s Finance Minister after the Cabinet of Ministers resigned on Sunday (4). However, 24 hours later, he submitted his letter of resignation to the President, but it was rejected by the latter.