Udaya Gammanpila, Minister of Energy says that it is accepted that there is a shortage of diesel at fuel stations throughout the country as limited quantities of diesel were issued to fuel stations during the last five days.
“Importing fuel has become a challenge today as we have to spend more than 50% of our export earnings on fuel. During yesterday’s emergency cabinet meeting, the Secretary to the Treasury instructed the Bank of Ceylon to release a diesel tanker. By now the diesel has started unloading. Another petrol tanker is in the middle of the sea. At the special Cabinet meeting held yesterday, the Hon. The Minister of Finance promised to provide the required foreign exchange for this as well. It is true that there is a shortage of diesel in the country at the moment. Because of the problem of releasing this diesel ship that we had for the last five days, we have been releasing limited quantities to fuel stations for the last five days. Therefore, there was a shortage of diesel at fuel stations throughout the country, it is true ”
Minister Udaya Gammanpila was responding to a question raised by Parliamentarian Mohamed Muzammil in Parliament yesterday (23).
