Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa was the only family member to retain a Cabinet position in his younger brother Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s new Cabinet of 17 ministers appointed on Monday.

Thousands of people defied a nationwide state of emergency and curfew earlier this month to join street protests against the government.

Preparations for the President’s unity cabinet with Opposition members had to be halted. But the Opposition declined.

Mr. Rajapaksa added 17 ministers to the three he had previously appointed.

That meant no place for the oldest member of the family Chamal Rajapaksa and Mahinda’s son Namal Rajapaksa, both of whom were Cabinet ministers, and nephew Shasheendra, who was a state minister.

The Cabinet appointment came as the island-wide protests continued to force the resignation of the president and his family for mishandling the economy.

Sri Lanka is facing its worst economic crisis since gaining independence from the UK in 1948. The economic crisis also triggered a political turmoil in the island nation with citizens holding nationwide street protests for weeks over lengthy power cuts and shortage of fuel, food and other daily essentials and demanding the ouster of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

People continued to be in fuel and gas queues while the power cuts which were not imposed during the weekend on account of the traditional Sinhala and Tamil new year returned on Monday.

The state power entity said there will be four and a half-hour power cuts on Monday.

Adding to public issues is the Lanka Indian oil company (LIOC) announcement of further price hikes for petrol and diesel with effect from Sunday midnight.

The LIOC raised fuel prices for the fourth time since February.

A spokesman for the LIOC said the price hike was necessary due to the depreciation of the Sri Lankan rupee.

Sri Lanka rupees had fallen by over 60 per cent till March 7 when the flexible exchange rate was announced.