Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa today highlighted in Parliament the difficulties faced by the public due to the prevailing fuel crisis.
The Opposition Leader said people stood in queues to obtain gas in the past adding today they are queued at filling stations.
MP Premadasa claimed several filling stations have begun providing fuel under a ration system.
He noted that factories are unable to operate due to difficulties in providing transport while generators cannot be operated either due to the fuel crisis.
MP Premadasa further said the main reason for the power crisis is the inability to supply fuel to generate electricity to meet the daily demand.
In response Minister Udaya Gammanpila said the foreign reserve crisis arose as a result of the import expense exceeding the export income since 1978 and large scale foreign loans.
Minister Gammanpila said therefore all former administrations including the former good governance government are responsible for the crisis.
The Minister said although the peak of the foreign reserve crisis was during his term as the subject Minister for the past 18 months, the loans that need to be repaid to two state banks only increased by USD 256 million, in comparison to the 31st of December, 2019.
He added despite the economic crisis steps were taken to reduce the loan obtained by the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation from state banks by USD 355 million, after it increased to USD 3,100 million under the former administration.
