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SL runs out of fuel and no new shipments ordered
Sri Lanka has run out of fuel as only 1,100 tonnes of petrol and 7,500 tonnes of diesel are remaining which is not even sufficient to last the country for a day, highly placed sources from the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) Trade Union told Daily Mirror last evening.
While Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera had been assuring the public of the arrival of a fuel vessel last week, he finally admitted to the nation yesterday that he could not give the dates of when fresh shipments are expected, leading to a query as to what happened to the vessel which was on its way to Sri Lanka after an LC of US 90 million dollars was opened for a diesel and petrol shipment earlier this month. Finance Minister and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe too was aware of this LC.
However, Minister Wijesekera last week said that the petrol shipment which was expected on June 23 was delayed by a day, but even a day later the vessel did not arrive as the fuel company had asked for an international guarantee for payment as it could not depend on the local bank guarantee.
Sources within the CPC said that no vessels were on their way to Sri Lanka last week as Sri Lanka had failed to make the payments required and give the international bank guarantees and even to date has not made any payment for fresh shipments.
Sri Lanka has also been blacklisted by international companies as it has defaulted on its debts and companies now require international bank guarantees for fresh orders.
With no new fuel shipment in sight any time soon, the country will come to a complete standstill from this week, as even public transportation will come to a grinding halt.
The so-called token system for fuel for the public which Minister Wijesekera announced yesterday will also prove to be futile as first preference will be given to essential services for the little stocks of fuel that are left.
Sources said that while transport will come to a halt, lengthened power cuts will also come into effect soon as the required stocks of fuel will not be supplied to the power plants.
Already, schools in Colombo will be shut for yet another week starting today.(JAMILA HUSAIN)
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