Payments Settled For Fuel Essentials For Electricity
Shakila Ifham
May 18, 2022
The government has already settled all payments for ships that are caring gas and other fuel that are harboured in Sri Lankan territorial waters, Central Bank Governor Dr P Nandalal Weerasinghe yesterday said.
The World Bank cash grant of USD 160 million which was allocated for the financially handicapped people has been utilized to settle fuel bills including diesel, petrol and gas, the Governor added at the CEBSL Monetary policy Review meeting. The event was held at the Bank’s auditorium in Colombo yesterday.
He also said that apart from USD 160 million, CEBSL would transfer the balance amount from grants and funds received to the Central Bank.
He ensured that by next week problems related to gas, diesel and petrol will be resolved with settling of bills.
Officials close to Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera yesterday said two Petrol ships commenced loading Thursday night and today.
Further, four ships carrying diesel and petrol would arrive here by June.
An official of the Ministry said that two ships carrying diesel are scheduled to arrive in Sri Lanka yesterday and June 1, while two ships carrying petrol are scheduled to be here today and June 29, the official further said.
It is also understood that five fuel tankers have been anchored in Sri Lankan waters for not being able to pay in US dollars and one of them has not been able to pay for crude oil for eight days would also be settled.
Minister strongly believes that with the petrol shipment that is to arrive today, with that after three days, the petrol scarcity will be resolved.
“Currently, we have sufficient stocks of diesel at the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) storage which is sufficient for the entire country and are hoping to continue with the practice to end queuing,” he added.
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe — less than a week into the job — said on Monday the nation has only one day’s stock of gasoline and the government is working to obtain dollars in the open market to also pay for three ships with crude oil and furnace oil that have been anchored in Sri Lankan waters.
Meanwhile, CEYPETCO Trade Unionist Ananda Palitha yesterday said that without hiccups petrol sheds should continue pumping that would ease issues faced by consumers.
“Government should be firm that no temporary measures in filling the buffer stocks but providing directly to consumers,” he further said.
FAQs