Anti-government demonstrators protest in front of police headquaters in Colombo
(Picture: REUTERS)Sri Lanka’s new prime minister has warned the country is down to its last day of petrol as it faces its worst economic crisis for decades.
Ranil Wickremesinghe said in a televised address that the country desperately needed foreign currency in the next few days to pay for essential imports.
He added that the government had been forced to print money to pay the wages of civil servants and pay for goods.
Shortages of medicines are so acute that it is difficult to buy anti-rabies medicines and drugs to treat heart disease, he said.
“I have no desire to hide the truth and to lie to the public,” Mr Wickremesinghe said.
“Although these facts are unpleasant and terrifying, this is the true situation. For a short period, our future will be even more difficult than the tough times that we have passed.
“We will face considerable challenges and adversity. However, this period will not be long," he said, adding that countries with which he has spoken have pledged to help in the next few months.
However, he said shipments of petrol via a credit line with India could provide fuel supplies in the next few days.
Sri Lanka is nearly bankrupt and its finance ministry says the country currently has only $25 million (£20.2m) in usable foreign reserves.
Mr Wickremesinghe proposed privatising the country’s state-owned national airline, among other economic reforms, which also include channelling funds previously allocated for infrastructure development to public welfare.
Last week saw violent protests across the country which left nine people dead, including a lawmaker, and more than 200 wounded.
The president's brother, Mahinda Rajapaksa, stepped down as prime minister in the wake of the violence, with demonstrators demanding the powerful Rajapaksa family resign over the country’s economic woes.
The main opposition United People's Force party has introduced a no-confidence motion against the president, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, for "not having properly exercised, performed and discharged the powers of the president under the constitution".
The motion accuses Mr Rajapaksa of being responsible for the economic crisis by introducing untimely tax cuts and banning the use of agrochemicals, which resulted in crop failures.
Passage of the motion would not legally bind Rajapaksa to quit, but his refusal to do so could intensify anti-government protests.
