Six-time PM Wickremesinghe sworn in as Sri Lanka president

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — Sri Lanka’s six-time prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was sworn in Thursday as president of the crisis-hit South Asian nation ahead of forming a unity government, his office said.

Wickremesinghe, 73, who was elected by legislators on Wednesday, took his oath of office before Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya at the tightly-guarded parliament complex, a statement from his office said.

Sri Lanka’s police chief and top military brass stood behind the new president as the oath was administered in the presence of parliamentary speaker Mahinda Abeywardana.

The brief ceremony was due to be broadcast live on local television but was inexplicably cut off just before the swearing-in got under way.

Officials said an investigation into the unexpected breakdown had been launched.

Official sources said the new leader was expected to form a cabinet not exceeding 30 ministers to steer the country out of its worst economic crisis since gaining independence from Britain.

Sri Lanka is suffering lengthy power blackouts and the country’s 22 million have been enduring shortages of fuel, food and medicines for months.

Public anger over the hardships boiled over when tens of thousands of protesters stormed the home of then-president Gotabaya Rajapaksa, forcing him to step down and clearing the way for Wickremesinghe’s election.