23 February 2022 02:14 pm
Energy Minister Udaya Gammanpila today informed Parliament that the government had called on a mèeting with ambassadors representing all oil exporting countries to seek their assistance to ensure continuous fuel supply to Sri Lanka during next three months. The Minister said the meeting was scheduled for March 15 and that their assistance will be sought to procure fuel on an extended credit facility. He said this while responding to a question raised by UNP leader and former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe as to what action has been taken to ensure continuous fuel supply for the next three months in a situation where fuel prices were set to further rise in the global market amidst the developing situation in Ukraine. Wickremesinghe said a barrel of crude oil had gone up to US$99 on Tuesday and it would exceed US$100 soon. Minister Gammanpila said payments have already been made for two out of the three fuel shipments berthed in Sri Lankan ports and arrangements are being made to settle for the other one as well. "We made payment for the shipload of petrol brought last Monday and for diesel yesterday. Finance Minister has agreed to provide Dollars required for other shipload of petrol as well. We have never sent back any ship that brought fuel due to dollar crunch," he said. (Ajith Siriwardana and Yohan Perera)