Ranil seeks relief via voucher system for people over fuel price hike

COLOMBO: Former Prime Minister and UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe urged the government to use the $2 billion profit it made from fuel sales when the global crude oil prices were low in the early part of the COVID-19 pandemic for the people’s benefit.

He called on the government to implement a voucher system for citizens over 18 to purchase fuel or medicine using the $2 billion profit.

He expressed these views at a virtual discussion held with party seniors.

Wickremesinghe said the price of crude oil in the world market had been declining day by day since the onset of the coronavorus pandemic and this lasted until last May.

Wickremesinghe said that the price of crude oil in the world market has not yet reached the level it was in 2019 when the former government was in power.

He said the government had earned $2 billion from fuel sales when it was able to the purchase a barrel of crude oil on the world market for $30 in the recent past.

Wickremesinghe also pointed out that the present government has increased fuel prices to the level it was before 2015.