Sri Lanka bans sale of fuel as economic crisis worsens

SRI LANKA has suspended the sale of fuel to all non-essential vehicles and is stockpiling its limited remaining supplies to keep emergency services running, as the worst economic crisis in the country’s history continues to worsen.

For the next fortnight, only buses, trains and vehicles used for medical services will be able to fill up with fuel. Colombo, the capital, also announced that schools would be closed for a further two weeks and that private sector employees have been asked to work from home to further preserve fuel and diesel stocks.

“Sri Lanka has never faced such a severe economic crisis in its history,” said a spokesman for the Sri Lankan cabinet.

Colombo owes more than £41billion to international lenders but only has around £40 million in the bank, meaning it has been unable to import fuel supplies, and a credit line from neighbouring India has now run out.

Last week, there were several reports of violent clashes between motorists and the police at petrol pumps as citizens who had been waiting for up to five days to refill their vehicles were informed supplies had finished.

Healthcare professionals complain that they are unable to fill up their vehicles to travel to work and are having to skip shifts in hospitals. Dr Vasan Ratnasingam, a spokesman for the Government Medical Officers’ Association, said up to 70 per cent of doctors were unable to commute to work.

Many Sri Lankans fear nationwide violence could break out with citizens essentially confined to their homes without access to fuel and food, and with limited life-saving medicines.