SL PM assures parliament of sufficient fuel stocks till mid-June

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on Thursday assured the country's lawmakers that the island nation has been able to secure sufficient stocks of diesel and petrol which will last till mid-June.

Wickremesinghe made the remarks during the ongoing first session of the Sri Lankan parliament since a change of guard that took place last week following the resignation of former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa.

The new Sri Lankan PM stressed that the stocks of fuel will reduce the long queues at the fuel stations, however, stressing that "the queues for fuel will not completely disperse".

Wickremesinghe also explained to the house, the delay in the shipment of natural gas by the country's premier gas supplier Litro.

He has called for an immediate explanation from the Chairman while also requesting the Chairman of the Committee on Public Enterprises to summon Litro Gas officials for an explanation, an official statement said.

The prime minister separately added that the reported orders to shoot violent protestors on sight had not been officially conveyed to the security forces during the unrest. He explained that all security forces have been instructed to follow standard procedures.

Sri Lanka is facing its worst economic crisis since independence with food and fuel shortages, soaring prices, and power cuts affecting a large number of the citizens, resulting in massive protests which culminated in the resignation of former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa last week.