Business & Economy

Sri Lanka sacks two key ministers amid energy crisis

Colombo, Mar 3 (EFE).- The Sri Lankan government on Thursday sacked two key ministers, of energy and industry, amid a severe economic crisis and fuel shortage which has rocked the country for several months.

Energy minister Udaya Gammanpila and the minister of industries, Wimal Weerawansa, were removed from their posts on Thursday, the president’s media unit said in a statement.

Both Gammanpila and Weerawansa had publicly opposed some of the measures adopted by the government to tackle the energy and economic crisis.

“For more than a year we have been pushing the government for a recovery program for the current crisis. We publicly lodged a proposal because we wanted public pressure to convince the government to implement the recovery program,” Gammanpila told EFE.

“Instead of doing that, they expelled us,” he added.

For months the island nation has been facing a serious shortage of fuel as a result of the severe economic crisis in the country.

During this period, Sri Lanka has witnessed record inflation figures, with year-on-year inflation hitting 14.2 percent in January, resulting in families having to forego meals as food prices have surged and items became scarce.

The authorities have imposed up to seven hours-long power cuts in the country and in February signed an agreement with India for urgent loans worth $500 million to deal with the fuel shortage.

In this backdrop, the island’s important tourism industry has slowly been regaining moment after being paralyzed by the pandemic, rekindling hope for the sector which is a key source of foreign currency for Sri Lanka. EFE

aw-daa/ia

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