President orders systematic distribution of existing fuel stock

• Says plan underway to obtain fuel jointly by Finance Ministry and CBSL
• Urges focus on long-term contracts with suppliers

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa yesterday instructed the relevant officials to take measures to ensure that the stocks of fuel currently received and to be received within the next few days, will be systematically distributed to fuel stations countrywide.

The President made these remarks at a special discussion on the distribution and import of petrol, diesel, and LP gas.

Special attention was paid to the possibility of entering into long-term fuel supply agreements with the suppliers.

Public transportation will be given priority in fuel distribution. The President said that action should be taken to dispense fuel to private and tourist buses and school vans under the supervision of the police using fuel stations owned by the Sri Lanka Transport Board. 

It was decided to continue issuing fuel from the identified filling stations for other essential services and to provide security to the filling stations by the Army and Police Special Task Force. The security forces were also ordered to strictly enforce the law against those who unnecessarily store fuel.

Discussions were also held on the systematic distribution of existing gas stocks and the expeditious ordering of sufficient gas stocks.

Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera, Public Defence Minister Tiran Alles, Central Bank Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe, Secretary to the President Gamini Senarath, Chief of Staff to the President Anura Dissanayake, Ministry of Finance Secretary Mahinda Siriwardena, Ministry of Power and Energy Secretary Mapa Pathirana, Ministry of Public Security Secretary S. Hettiarachchi, IGP C.D. Wickramaratne, heads of defence, fuel, power and gas institutions were also present.