Hopes regarding fuel, electricity thin as queues suggest darker days

This customer waiting for fuel cannot hide his dismay and is probably calling his loved ones at home to inform the pathetic situation at the filling station and also that he’ll be late when returning home (Pic by Waruna Wanniarachchi)

The CEB listed in the loss-making organizations list yet again

It is most likely that the CEB will be handed over to an Indian company

Even during the hours electricity is supplied, people cannot experience it due to the power outages that occur due to weather conditions

Customers at queues suggested that the only means by which the government could solve the economic crisis is by increasing taxes

Even though cooperate tax was reduced during 2019 the public has not received its benefits

The newly-elected Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe warned Monday that the crisis-stricken nation was down to its final day of petrol and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekara urged residents not to join the long lines at petrol stations that have sparked weeks of anti-government rallies. As part of the measures designed to cope with the country’s most significant economic crisis in decades the PM also advocated privatising the loss-making SriLankan airlines. 

The government tries to create an illusion by bringing out the disparity between the current Minister, Kanchana Wijesekara, and the CEB employees, claiming that Kanchana is a pro at technology while the CEB workers are old school. This is not an issue about being old school. This is a result of political gimmicks
- Ranjan Jayalal CEB Joint Trade Union Alliance Convener 

Despite these requests made by the PM and the energy minister the country is encircled by fuel queues. 
Meanwhile, the CEB Joint Trade Union Alliance Convener Ranjan Jayalal speaking to Daily Mirror prognosticated that the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) will also be soon privatised. “Privatisation of SriLankan Airlines is the first whip dance in the procession; there are many more dances to follow. 

“This crisis cannot be easily solved overnight; even the kids understand that Sri Lanka is in a quagmire. Despite that, the government tries to create an illusion by bringing out the disparity between the current Minister, Kanchana Wijesekara, and the CEB employees, claiming that Kanchana is a pro at technology while the CEB workers are old school. This is not an issue about being old school. This is a result of political gimmicks. The same beat is played again, placing an unsuccessful person, Ranil Wickremesinghe, in the chair,” said Jayalal. 

He further added that the primary issue revolves around the shortage of foreign reserves and that 90% of the power plants do not sometimes function; the only stroke of luck being the rain. “Due to the rain, the reservoirs are filling up and 40 % of the requirement is covered.  

“Worsening the situation the Norochcholai Coal Power Plant (NCPP) can only function for four months because we are running out of coal. As of now the crisis is overwhelming the country; during the past few days people were at home enjoying a mini-vacation during the Vesak holidays and the curfew; the real struggle starts now when the companies start functioning. Keep me aside; the PM clearly painted the gloomy future that awaits us: a 15-hour power cut. He has done the research on the subject with the help of his committees and understands the problem. Therefore, it is crystal clear that we are facing darker days ahead, and it is a futile act to whitewash the imprudent actions of Rajapaksas,” he added. 

Jayalal also underscored that the CEB had been listed in the loss-making organizations list yet again. Therefore, in the near future, it is most likely that the CEB will be handed over to an Indian company. “People will soon face the dilemma of whether they need electricity or a loss-making mafia organization without electricity. So naturally, people will say that electricity is what they need. Privatization of SriLankan Airlines is just the first step and other organizations will soon follow,” he said. 

Jayalal further said that due to extreme weather conditions, Trees falling on power lines or tree limbs coming into contact with power lines causes frequent power outages. “Even during the hours’ electricity is supplied, people cannot experience it due to the power outages that occur due to weather conditions. Moreover, the specialised vehicles needed to attend to breakdowns cannot operate without fuel. People come in their vehicles pleading with us to come, but we cannot carry ladders and the required equipment in private vehicles. We feel the grief of the people, but we are helpless. Most importantly, many of our engineers cannot report to work due to lack of fuel. Finally, we have requested the General Manager to place the engineers in the nearest possible office. 

This is not the future we expect for our children. I have to apply for leave at the office in order to fill up my fuel tank; how can a country move forward

- Chamila Fernando Employee Private company

Frustration at fuel stations  
Daily Mirror also visited several fuel stations in the heart of Colombo. It was disturbing to see the burned-out and desperate faces in the queues. Premier Wickremesinghe has become a ray of hope to certain segments of the society, but some have given up on future hope, claiming that Wickremesinghe is a Rajapaksa ally and his appointment could be a result of Gnanakka’s sorcery. 

Chamila Fernando, an employee of a private company, expressing her views while waiting in a fuel queue, exhibited her extreme affliction with regard to the fuel shortage and her worn-out nature was evident to the passersby. At the time Daily Mirror reached the fuel station near the flower Road junction, it was 4.30 pm. Chamila Fernando, a mother of two, had been waiting in the fuel line since 6.30 am. “I have been in the queue with extreme discomfort since 6. 30 am in the morning. I am a woman and it has been over 10 hours of killing time in this queue; I cannot even find a toilet nearby. This is not the future we expect for our children. I have to apply for leave at the office in order to fill up my fuel tank; how can a country move forward,” she said. When questioned regarding the swearing-in of Premier Wickremesinghe, Chamila responded positively about the appointment. “I am not a hardcore party member: I am a non-affiliated voter. Anyhow the country must move forward; therefore, somebody should take this and make our lives meaningful,” she added with a sigh. 

To be honest, I am a firm adherent of JVP, but I do not believe that Anura Kumara Dissanayake can govern the country any better than Ranil Wickremesinghe

- Chaminda Warnapura 
Taxi Driver

Chaminda Warnapura, a taxi driver, waiting in the fuel line, said that as taxi drivers who belong to the daily wage earners’ category, life is extremely hard. “We cannot hold on anymore. We are on the brink of collapsing. I am unable to run hires due to the fuel shortage; what we do right now is run around daily trying to find a station with fuel or going in search of other stations if the first attempt to find fuel proves futile.  To be honest, I am a firm adherent of JVP, but I do not believe that Anura Kumara Dissanayake can govern the country any better than Ranil Wickremesinghe. We have placed all our hopes on Ranil and we believe that he accepts the fact that Sri Lanka needs a system change. But Wickremesinghe must also know that people will rise against him as well if he starts playing his old game, supporting Rajapaksa’s. He will mark his end if that happens,” Warnapura. 

I have no hopes regarding the future of this country; we were quite hopeful when the former PM Mahinda Rajapaksa stepped down as a result of the struggle (aragalaya). Anyhow all the hopes were shattered when Ranil Wickremesinghe was appointed
-  Mohammed Fahim 
Resident Mattakkuliya

Mohammed Fahim, a resident of Mattakkuliya, who runs a hardware store, expressing his views on the current situation, said that his business is collapsing day by day. “The cement prices have skyrocketed and there is no fuel to transport stones, cement and sand. We have around 6 to 7 lorries that are used in transportation, but all of these are now calmly resting under shades without fuel. I have no hopes regarding the future of this country; we were quite hopeful when the former PM Mahinda Rajapaksa stepped down as a result of the struggle (aragalaya). Anyhow all the hopes were shattered when Ranil Wickremesinghe was appointed as the Prime Minister. He is just a pawn in the hands of Rajapaksas; he will pave the path for another Rajapaksa regime,” said Fahim. 

Sameera Siriwardana, a 23-year-old sales manager of a reputed private company situated in central Colombo, whimpered that he is added to the “no pay “list and spends a great deal of his youth in the fuel queues. “Isn’t it the youth’s energy and vigour that Rajapaksa’s have looted? Imagine I am 23 years old, I have not even spent half of my life, yet I try my best to support my family. I cannot use a bus to get to the office because I live far away from the main road. Even if I take a tuk tuk it will cost me around Rs.350 for a single trip. I cannot afford it with the soaring inflation. If I do not get a motorbike, it is likely that I will lose my job. This is the third queue that I have joined today; early in the morning, I was at a petrol station near Galle Face and by the time I reached the pump, fuel stocks had finished. Then I went to the fuel station at Thunmulla and the queue there stretched to Thimbirigasyaya. It was then that I came to the fuel station in Flower Road,” said Siriwardana. 

Isn’t it the youth’s energy and vigour that Rajapaksa’s have looted? Imagine I am 23 years old, I have not even spent half of my life, yet I try my best to support my family

- Sameera Siriwardana 
Sales Manager

The Chief Manager of a state bank, who was waiting in the queue from 5.40 am in the morning (he refused to mention his name fearing the loss of his job amidst the crisis) suggested that the only means by which the government could solve the crisis is by increasing taxes. “Income taxes and cooperate taxes must be increased; if not, it is unlikely that we would overcome the crisis. Even though cooperate tax was reduced during 2019 the public has not received its benefits. If the public had received it, we would not be languishing in fuel queues while we have thousands of other works to attend to. 

Attempts made to contact Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekara, Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) Chairman Sumith Wijesinghe, and CPC Union Media Spokesman Bandula Saman Kumara proved futile.