Sri Lanka faces fuel shortage as economy craters
Sri Lankan authorities closed schools and asked public officials not to come to work in a desperate move to prepare for an acute fuel shortage that is expected to last days amid the nation’s worst economic crisis in decades.
The Public Administration Ministry asked officials — except for those who maintain essential services — to stay home from work Friday “in a view of current fuel shortage and issues in transport facilities” across the country.
State- and governmentapproved private schools also closed Friday amid the worsening fuel shortage, with thousands of people waiting in lines at fuel stations across the country for days at a time.
The government has been struggling to find money to pay for the importation of fuel, gas and other essentials in recent months as the Indian Ocean island nation is on the brink of bankruptcy. Its economic woes have brought on a political crisis, with the government facing widespread protests.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa swore in nine cabinet ministers Friday, raising the total number to 13 as he attempts to stabilize the government after a string of resignations.
Protesters blocked main roads to demand gas and fuel, and television stations showed people in some areas fighting over limited stocks. Authorities have announced countrywide power cuts of up to four hours a day because they can’t supply enough fuel to power generating stations.
Protesters have occupied the entrance to the president’s office for more than a month, calling for Rajapaksa to resign.