CHATURANGA PRADEEP SAMARAWICKRAMA 
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Petroleum bowsers to strike 48 hrs from Sunday night
The Ceylon Petroleum Private Bowser Owners Association (CPPBOA) said today that its members would launch a 48-hour work stoppage from midnight Sunday (July 1) demanding that hiring charges be increased.
CPPBOA Secretary Shantha Silva said they had requested for an increase in the hiring charges in the wake of the recent fuel price increase and that they would continue the work stoppage if the authorities fail to grant their demand.
“The CPC authorities and the subject minister will have to take the responsibility for the inconvenience caused to motorists because of the resultant fuel shortage countrywide," Mr. Silva said. “When we met Petroleum Resources Development Minister Arjuna Ranatunga, he assured us he would provide a solution by June 8,” Mr. Silva said.
He said we had initially planned to launch the token strike on Friday but had postponed it because of Poson and did not want to inconvenience pilgrims.“Hiring charges for a 13,200-gallon bowser should be increased by 12.5 per cent and rates for a 19,800-gallon bowser and 33,000-gallon bowser should be increased by nine per cent,” Mr. Silva said and added that their request was for an average increase of 12.5 per cent."
He said private bowsers transport some 80 per cent of the total fuel requirements and that CPPBOA members own more than 800 bowsers while the CPC owns 65 bowsers and should we continue the work stoppage, the entire country would face a severe fuel shortage.
Mr. Silva said the CPC would be unable to meet the country's fuel requirements with the bowsers it owns and we regret the inconvenience caused to motorists. (Chaturanga Samarawickrama)
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