Sri Lankan PM requests patience as UN calls for relief funds
By KRISHAN FRANCIS and BHARATHA MALLAWARACHI
Associated Press
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Sri Lanka’s prime minister said Tuesday that the United Nations has arranged a worldwide public appeal to help the island nation’s food, agriculture and heath sectors face serious shortages amid its worst economic crises in recent memory. But the projected funds barely scratch the surface of the $6 billion the country needs to stay afloat over the next six months. In his speech to Parliament, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe says the U.N. plans to provide $48 million in assistance over a four-month period. He asked Sri Lankans to be patient and united, adding that it will be tough to obtain essentials over the next three weeks.