Sri Lanka’s new prime minister says the country is down to its last day of petrol as it faces its worst economic crisis in more than 70 years.
In a televised address, Ranil Wickremesinghe said the nation urgently needs $75m (£60.8m) of foreign currency in the next few days to pay for essential imports.
He said the central bank would have to print money to pay government wages.
Mr. Wickremesinghe also said state-owned Sri Lankan Airlines may be privatised.
The island nation’s economy has been hit hard by the pandemic, rising energy prices, and populist tax cuts. A chronic shortage of foreign currency and soaring inflation had led to a severe shortage of medicines, fuel, and other essentials.
Ravindu Perera, who lives in the capital Colombo, said he and his family had begun searching for fuel before daybreak on Monday.
He said his friends outside the capital were having to wait even longer. “I’m working from home now to try and save fuel because who knows when I’ll get a full tank again.”
Auto rickshaws, the most popular means of transport in Colombo, and other vehicles have been queuing at petrol stations around the capital.
However, shipments of petrol and diesel using a credit line with India could provide fuel supplies in the next few days, he added.
Mr. Wickremesinghe, who was appointed prime minister last Thursday, said the country’s central bank would have to print money to help meet the government’s wage bill and other commitments.
He also proposed selling off Sri Lankan Airlines as part of an effort to stabilise the nation’s finances. The carrier lost 45 billion Sri Lankan rupees ($129.5m; £105m) in the year ending March 2021.
In recent weeks, there have been large, sometimes violent, protests against President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his family.
Last week, the president’s elder brother Mahinda resigned as prime minister after government supporters clashed with protesters. Nine people died and more than 300 were wounded in the violence.
In his first interview since taking office, he also pledged to ensure families would get three meals a day.
Appealing to the world for more financial help, he said “there won’t be a hunger crisis, we will find food”.
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