Although there is a proposal to receive a ship carrying petrol before July 22, such a delivery would cost more, revealed Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekara, speaking in Parliament yesterday (06).
“As of now, the first petrol ship given to us by the IOC Company is expected to arrive on 22 – 23. That is the delivery confirmed to us. Of the ships we proposed earlier – we proposed to receive a petrol ship on 10 – 15 – we were offered a proposal from PETRONA by the representative of the Malaysian Prime Minister in the South Asian Region. But they could not confirm the date of arrival in this country. Not a single supplier elsewhere has yet been able to confirm to us a petrol ship before 22. Last night we were given approval by the Committee of officers appointed by the Cabinet to receive the fuel needed for this country on 13.
But there is a problem. They have offered them for a higher price than what we used to get. Now we have a problem. No one else has come forward to offer either. The only company that did has offered a higher price, the Committee has approved it too. But now those companies have informed to us that they will not be delivering the orders, for certain political groups of this country are interpreting it in different ways and publicise the wrong opinion that they are going to receive commissions from this. So, these companies too find it severely problematic. I spoke to the President and the Prime Minister, and they said to take the first available ship. Therefore, we will be making the advance payment today with the approval of the Cabinet Sub-Committee. We hope to receive the ship on 15.”
MIAP
