Fuel distribution likely to be disrupted today

Trade Unions’ Collective strike: Workers against lease agreement with India

The countrywide fuel distribution is likely to be disrupted today due to the planned strike by the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) Trade Unions’ Collective against a joint venture to be signed between the Government and India concerning 99 oil tanks at the China Bay Oil Tank Farm in Trincomalee, a Trade Union official told the .

However, pumping-stations would sell fuel as usual depending on their stocks., Speaking to the the CPC TU Collective’s Media Spokesman Bandula Saman Kumara said the Collective had initiated the trade union action to force the Government to halt the proposed agreement to be signed with India and to protect the CPC resources from being sold to foreign countries.

He said during the strike island wide fuel distribution would be disrupted as no fuel would be issued from the storage facilities. “Oil will not be issued tomorrow from Kolonnawa, Muthurajawela, Sapugaskanda and the other 12 storage facilities around the country,” he said.

He said the union collective held many discussions with the Petroleum Resources Development Minister Chandima Weerakody regarding the Government’s arbitrary move to lease the State owned resources however, was not successful.

He said the Trincomalee oil tanks were given to India for 33 years and by the new agreement it would be given for a much longer period causing a huge loss to the CPC.

He said the Government had also taken over the CPC owned oil facility at the Hambantota Port and attempting to hand over the oil tanks to the China Merchant (Pvt) Company.

He said the new project initiated at the Sapugaskanda oil refinery to build more oil tanks in a land of 35 – 40 acres had also been halted at the moment and it should be restarted without making it another white elephant.

Mr. Saman Kumara said that the CPC had done a sacred duty during the time when the country suffered from the 30-year long war, by lending oil to the Tri-forces to repay them on a concessionary period.

“The Minister has forgotten the immense service done by the CPC. This is a struggle to save the CPC and its resources. CPC has out in grave danger by handing over its oil tanks to China and India. Sooner or later the country would have to pay the debt,” he said.