Committee to probe certain CEYPETCO officials

Fuel crisis:

The Cabinet would appoint an ad-hoc committee to look into the behaviour of certain top officials of CEYPETCO as there were suspicion whether they acted bona-fide to tackle the fuel crisis Cabinet spokesman, Dayasiri Jayasekara said yesterday. Minister Jayasekara while admitting the full responsibility on behalf of the government for the petrol shortage in the fuel market and consequent difficulties faced by the motorists and the three wheeler operators in Particular said the petrol shortage was created after CEYPETCO failed to distribute ful demand of 1,200 metric tons of petrol on Friday (October 4).

Addressing the weekly cabinet news briefing, Minister Jayasekara said instructions to the Kolonnawa Oil Installation were to release 1,200 metric tons of petrol on Friday but officials had released only 600 MTS that contributed to the shortage and the rumour went round that there was a petrol shortage in the fuel market.

“The four member cabinet sub committee appointed by President Maithripala Sirisena will look into the petrol shortage issue and make recommendations on how to prevent a repetition. The committee of officials will inquire whether there was a bureaucratic blunder of any sabotage to create a fuel shortage in the domestic market and if so who is responsible. The government would indeed take punitive action if there was any involvement of officials to create this crisis,” Minister Jayasekara said.

He stressed the utmost necessity to maintain a buffer stock for all fuel varieties sufficient at least for one month and added that the CEYPETCO must acquire a minimum two dozens of tanks at the Trincomalee tank farm for its usage.the CEYPETCO has only 90,000 metric tons of petrol at any given time in its stocks it is not enough in a crisis. Minister Jayasekara also said the inability of the Sapugaskanda Oil refinery to refine fuel to its full capacity of 100,000 barrels per day has also a factor for the crisis.

Co-cabinet spokesman Dr. Rajitha Senaratne said two shipments of fuel are expected yesterday from India and Singapore carrying 60,000 metric tons and the government expected the petrol shortage disappear today.

Both Ministers said the Indian Oil Company (IOC) had nothing to do with the crisis and added it was unfair if anyone to blame the IOC.