In a specially televised speech, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, listing manner in which the government was able to rise to current challenges, said there was no sense in reconvening Parliament when it is clear there is no Parliament support.

"When we tried to pass an interim budget before dissolution of Parliament, Parliament did not support us. What is the use of reconvening Parliament under these circumstances?"

"Now is not the time to waste with argument. Now is not the time for religious or ethnic divisions. We have one common enemy and that is COVID19. This is not a time to fulfil the needs, wants and traditions of specific communities."

"This is the time to think of the country first. It is only when we unite as humanity that we can escape this deathtrap."

In his speech, Prime Minister Rajapaksa said the government had already taken measures to support 5.3 million people affected by the current lockdown in the country.