HASTY RETREAT
Standard sources said the suitcase full of paperwork had also been left behind at the stately mansion along with 17. eighty-five million rupees (US$224, 167) in money, now in the custody of a Colombo court.
There was no official word from the president’s office regarding his whereabouts, but he remained commander-in-chief of the armed forces with military resources from his disposal.
One option nevertheless open to him would be to take a navy vessel to either India or the Maldives, a defence source said.
If Rajapaksa steps down since promised, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe will automatically become performing president until parliament elects an MEGA-PIXEL to serve out the presidential phrase, which ends in Nov 2024.
Rajapaksa is accused associated with mismanaging the economy to a point where the country has run out of foreign exchange in order to finance even the majority of essential imports, resulting in severe hardships for your 22 million populace.
Sri Lanka defaulted on its US$51b foreign debt in April and is in talks with the International Monetary Fund for a possible bailout.
The island has nearly exhausted its already scarce supplies of petrol. The government has ordered the closure of non-essential offices and colleges to reduce commuting and save fuel.