Fuel not sold at R.121 a liter to MPs, they must stand in the queue- CPC trade unions

The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation Trade Unions yesterday denied reports which claimed that fuel was sold at a subsidized rate of Rs.121 per liter to MPs and VIPs and said if any MP needed fuel, they would have to stay in the queue.

Trade Union officials told Daily Mirror that following the allegations on social media that fuel was sold at subsidized rates, they had inquired from the filling station closer to the Narahenpita police Transport Division, and checked the bills, to confirm that the claims were false. 

They further said that social media pictures circulating that fuel was sold for MPs at Rs.121 a liter may have been filmed when there was a system upgrade and this was not the price the fuel was sold at. PC Trade Unions further said that they had informed the Narahenpita fuel station, which was allocated for the MPs to fill their fuel, that if any MP wants to fill their vehicle tanks, they must come in the queue and no special preference should be given to them.

Officials said that following a tense situation at the Narahenipta Filling Station yesterday, the Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekara had informed them to stop giving special preference to VIPs or MPs.

Desperate consumers who were in the queue for hours overnight had threatened the filling station employees to stop the preferential treatment immediately.

As a result, the Trade Unions said that instructions had been given to the shed employees that if any MPs require fuel, they must wait in the queue like all citizens. (Chaturanga Samarawickrema)