The Government has taken steps to manage the current fuel crisis by importing the required stocks of fuel. Accordingly, Ports and Shipping Minister Rohitha Abeygunawardena said that arrangements have been made for a ship to unload 21,600 metric tons of diesel and 22,190 metric tons of jet fuel today (29). Another ship with 37,300 metric tons of diesel will also arrive today.
Addressing a press briefing at the SLPP headquarters yesterday, he said that arrangements have been made to import 40,000 metric tons of diesel on April 2 under loan assistance.
“When we compare the stocks of fuel imported to our country over the last few years, we can clearly see that more fuel has arrived. But, now a crisis has arisen and it is clear that certain parties are behind this crisis. As this is a man-made crisis, we can clearly see long queues at places to obtain fuel”, he added.
Minister Rohitha Abeygunawardena says that the present Opposition, which obtained foreign loans during their tenure, has no plans to present a programme for the people except to level allegations against the Government. The Minister further said that it is regrettable that the people who are paying compensation for the huge damage caused to the economy during their time are being deceived again.
“Today, the Opposition is accusing President Gotabaya Rajapaksa of creating all this. We know that with the COVID-19 pandemic the global economy suffered a severe setback. United National Party and the Samagi Jana Balawegaya members questioned the current dollar shortage but they sold the Hambantota Port and received US$ 1.1 billion. I ask what was done with that money. Nothing was done and the loans were not repaid,” he highlighted.
Abeygunawardena also said that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa convened the All Party Conference enabling everyone to make suggestions. Yet except for a few parties, all the others did not attend the Conference including the main Opposition.
SLPP General-Secretary Attorney-at-Law Sagara Kariyawasam said that an Opposition Member of Parliament who claims to be highly educated made a completely false statement regarding the state banking system with the sole malicious intention of destroying the banking system in the country without any basis. He stressed that there is no financial crisis in any of the State Banks and they are financially very stable and very profitable.
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