No petrol in Sri Lanka till May 20/21 weekend: Energy Minister

ECONOMYNEXT – Cash-strapped Sri Lanka has run out of petrol and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijeseakara has requested the public not to queue up at filling stations until the May 20/21 weekend when the situation should be resolved.

Wijesekara told parliament on Wednesday (18) that the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) has given a written agreement to a petrol ship anchored at the Colombo Port since March 28 and the ship has now agreed to release its consignment in the next two days.

“We do not have money to pay for it. We have a debt of 53 million US dollars to the same company for a supply they made in January,” he said.

“With the CBSL giving us a new schedule, we have given a promise in writing to make the payments in the next 15 days. As a result, they have agreed to release the petrol consignment,” the minister said.

Asked about the ongoing cooking gas issue, Wijesekara said one of the two ships that were paid has come in to the Colombo Port and distribution of 80,000 cylinders will start from Thursday (19) onwards.

“We could not unload the gas consignment at Muthurajawela due to rough weather. We had to redirect it to the Colombo port. From there it needs to be delivered to Litro to fill the cylinders. The delay is because of this,” he said. (Colombo/May 18/2022)