Govt. has oil tanks, but lacks expertise – Dilith

2026-03-18 - 04:34

Sarvajana Balaya Party leader MP – Dilith Jayaweera stated yesterday (March 17) that the government’s actions have failed to build public confidence. He made these remarks during the parliamentary debate on determining the remuneration and service conditions of officers and employees of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) under the Anti-Corruption Act. Jayaweera alleged that despite having the opportunity to anticipate shifts in the prevailing situation, the Government had failed to take timely measures to ensure energy security due to lack of required expertise. Elaborating further, he noted, “Whatever the Government says, one must go out and see what the public is actually saying. Today, People are asking if there are actually enough oil reserves in the country. The tourism sector is also facing concerns regarding the adequacy of gas supplies. For example, the Government says there are no tanks to store oil in the country. There are plenty of tanks. There may be other reasons why we do not have a strategic reserve. What we are asking is to tell the truth – about the fuel levels in the country... Public confidence should be built after revealing the relevant data to the country. No prior steps were taken in relation to energy security, even though there was an opportunity to anticipate changes in the prevailing situation. That failure stems from a lack of expertise.” He added, “However, the Government should provide assurances regarding the country’s economic security. It cannot simply attribute this crisis to the war and absolve itself of responsibility. If this Government had been in the Opposition, we would have then seen the drama they would unfold. A request has also been made to close the private sector on Wednesdays. That is an irrational move. What will happen to daily wage earners in such a situation? Solutions to the fuel crisis should have been pursued while maintaining normal economic activity. The absence of a distinct foreign policy has also contributed to the fuel crisis. Other countries, equipped with strategic expertise, have managed to secure solutions during this crisis. The President also didn’t attend the recent BRICS Summit, which has limited the country’s ability to obtain support from those nations.”