Non-essential public workers asked not to report to work tomorrow

Public sector employees, except those in essential services, are not required to report to work tomorrow due to the prevailing fuel crisis, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said in parliament this morning (May 19).

Delivering a speech in the House, the Premier also urged the general public to limit non-essential travels tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekara who addressed the parliament, appealed to the general public not to stand in queues for petrol today, as supplies are unavailable.

However, people are still waiting in queues despite being asked to stay away from filling stations for three days since yesterday, he added.

A vessel carrying a petrol shipment was docked at the Colombo Port at around 8.30 a.m. this morning after the payment was settled last night, Minister Wijesekara said further, adding that the unloading process is expected to begin later today.

It will take at least two days to finish distributing the petrol stocks to filling stations, the minister continued.