Possible to meet 50% demand for gas, fuel in coming weeks: PM

It would be possible to meet around 50 percent of the demand for gas and fuel in the coming weeks, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said in a statement. 

"A ship has already arrived with 3500MT of gas. We shall be distributing gas only to wholesale buyers such as hospitals, crematoria and hotels. Later we will get sufficient consignments of gas for four months. It will take 14 days to secure these stocks. However we hope to get some more shipments sooner," the Prime Minister said. 

"We have enough fuel for seven days at the moment. However, efforts are being made to secure 40,000 MT of fuel in the coming weeks. We are expecting to get fuel subsequent to the agreement which we are hoping to sign with India. It will be possible to supply 50% of the demand anyhow," he added. 

"Sri Lanka is facing a Rupee shortage as well apart from the dollar crunch. I have already spoken to IMF Managing Director who assured to expedite the assistance. I have also spoken to World Food Program. In addition, US President Joe Biden has assured Sri Lankan Ambassador in Washington of his assistance. World is looking at us and ready to help us. 

However we have to help ourselves first. Therefore it is essential to have a debt restructuring programme in place as soon as possible," the Prime Minister stressed. (Yohan Perera)