Dr. Sudath Gunasekara

9.11. 2017.

It may be noted that LIOC caters to only 16% of the Sri Lankan market, while the remaining 84% relies on CPC supplies. Thus, large shortages across the country can only be caused by disruption in supplies of CPC

We understand that a CPC petrol parcel, which was scheduled to reach Sri Lanka on 2 November 2017, has been delayed. While we are not aware of the reasons for this delay, such a disruption has led to shortages of petrol across the country, particularly given that CPC caters to 84% of the Sri Lankan market,” it said.

It you read carefully the above two paragraphs from the news release by IOC in the wake of the current crisis it becomes more than clear that IOC is putting the whole blame on the CPC for the present crisis whereas the rejection of the substandard Indian shipment was the main cause of this crisis. Who can say this is not a well calculated attempt firstly to go for ‘Spot Tenders’ to cash in against the crisis as it is the same Indian people who will supply the new load at a higher price and secondly, to make up a strong case for an increase in their quota with a long term plan of a complete taking over of the trade in to their hands, knowing very well that the present stupid Ranil government will readily agree in their submissive and naïve mentality of running to India for everything. The fact that the UNP government under Ranil had already agreed to lease out the Trinco oil Farm of 100 tanks on 850 acres to India when he was in power by accident for a short time in 2003 may have given the hope to Indian authorities.

Now look at the Trinco oil tanks complex. This is a manna left behind by the British (though it was bought for a tidy sum by the government) which all successive governments have miserably failed to make proper use of. Now this government is trying to sell them to India in spite of strong protests by the CPC and the people. If IOC with only 16 % of the trade can disrupt the distribution in this manner and arrogantly try to put the blame on the CPC, one can just imagine how they will cripple the whole economy and the day to day life of people in this country taking the whole nation as a bunch of helpless hostages. Only god will know what happen after that.

My question is why we don’t ask them to pack up immediately before they do more damage and gobble up the whole country. After all as they say it, they handle only 16% of petrol distribution just now and the rest is handled by the CPC it clearly shows the CPC has the capacity to handle this business in this country. The entire distribution network including the sheds, transport including the fleet of vehicles and train, the berth facilities at Colombo Port, Trinco Harbour and even Hambantota, the entire economic maritime zone are also Sri Lankan, the money paid for oil imported and the staff are Sri Lankans. If this is what they can do while they import and handle only 16 % of petrol, one can imagine how dangerous it would be if they are given a higher share, Trinco oil tanks and Harbour, berth facilities in Colombo harbour, Mattala Airport and Mannar –Trinco Super Highway as proposed by the Government. The last proposal will while provide connectivity between Trinco and Mannar and India  for strategic purposes will also permanently separate the North from the rest of this Island country and this road in future will serve as the Berlin wall  or Rather EELAM wall of Sri Lanka. If we allow Mattala Airport to be given to India next to the Harbour already given to China neither the Presdient, Ranil or any soul on earth will be able to stop the clashes between the two adversaries that could even lead to a war on our land between the two adversaries, the final outcome none of us can predict.

I am lost to understand the economics or any other justification as to why the Government of Sri Lanka decided to get India to participate in this trade at all if not its inefficiency and impotence. It is a pity that Ranil and President have forgotten that Mrs B even as a woman, had the guts and the vision to take over and nationalize the all-powerful American oil monopoly by Caltex and Mobil and set up the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation in 1962.   This means we have nearly sixty years of experience in running this industry and the service with our own refineries and distributary network and trained staff. Just to say that we don’t have the necessary expertise and resources to function the Trinco oil tanks and run the industry as Ranil has said is shear madness not worth to be uttered by a Prime Minister of a country. This alone clearly shows that he is utterly unfit to hold that position. What is more is these people have completely failed to understand the danger of handing over a subject like fuel storage and distribution to a foreign country that not only put the whole country in a very tricky position but it also be a potential threat to the security and independence of the country. One need to have only common sense that 100 oil tanks with a capacity of over 1.2 million gallons is an asset given by god. With oil, an expansionist enemy like India who handle it can set the whole country in fire in few minutes as the Indian Hanuma did it in the days of Ravana. It would be interesting to note that Hanuma also came from India. Without oil it can disrupt and cripple and destroy the whole economy and bring down the government in two or three days. It will stop all transport on road, rail and air and even industries, stop all government institutions functioning, keep the whole country in complete darkness and starving and stop the people breathing

The capacity of oil tanks in the Island is as follows

Trincommallee (1932) 1.2 million tons (each tank 12,000), Muturajawela (China built 50,000 tons) and Sapugaskanda original 1960, 35,000 bbl and 50,000 bbl present. The crucial issue is as to why the Government did not have a sufficient buffer stock at least for one moth, 90,000 m tons being the minimum requirements of 3000 MT per day to meet an emergency?.inister has said the available capacity is only 90,000. Why can’t the Government make use of the total capacity by commissioning all tanks at Trinco, Sapu and Muturajawela which is over 1.2 m. It is reported that the Trinco Oil Farm has the biggest storage capacity between Middle East and Singapore.  The authorities should surely know that we are not a petroleum producing country and furthermore we are an Island far away from petrol producing countries. They could have at least learnt from the wisdom of colonial British who built 101 huge Tanks in Trinco in 1932 who use it as the main fuel supplying centre for the whole of South Asia commanded by Mount Batten. This clearly shows the inefficiency and carelessness of the Government even in critical areas of governance and that directly and seriously affect the day to day life of its 20 million people. Isn’t this an unforgivable mega blunder that warrants the resignation of the whole Government or at least the Minister and Deputy Minister in charge of the subject? Shouldn’t the Chairman and the Head of procurement Division be sacked immediately at least now? This again is a glaring example of the Governments and the politicians not caring the needs of the people and their complete disregard to the problems of the masses. Deeply engrossed in power struggle they care only about themselves and their aggrandizement. What a shame for this parasitic bunch of Sri Lankan politicians? While they have bungled like this is it not funny for Nalin Bandara to openly say that Rajapaksas should be held for the present crisis. It reminds me of the famous story of Kekille Rajjuruvo’s verdict.

Therefore it is high time that at least now this government reassesses its foolish dealings with India and give up depending on India to save us and stop dangerous deals like ETCA, Mattala Airport and all other disasters like the mad ambulance service, large scale investment on roads housing, railways, air ports, harbours and industries especially provided to Tamil areas in the north and East and the Plantation area, lest we get completely gobbled up by the Indian whale after crippling the economy and the administration.

It is amazing how India has already invaded this Island nation with its political maneuverings (Eg training, funding and providing military know how and weapons etc to the LTTE, the 13^th Amendment, the JR/Rajiv Accord, opening Consular Offices in Kandy, Hambantota and Jaffna  in addition to their Embassy in Colombo and interfering with our internal matters directly as well as through their Embassy and Consular Offices, trade, Industries, labour market, transport (Eg three wheelers, Lories, motorcars, busses, consumer market, textile, health sector through pharmaceutical and other innumerable tentacles like even TV advertisements to infiltrate and Indianize our social values  to name a  few. Why are they doing all these if they don’t have a hidden agenda behind? This is why I strongly oppose the unpatriotic and short sighted dealings of this Government with India

This scenario shows where this government is taking the country today. It is the bounden duty of the Buddhist Monks and all the patriotic citizens of this country to rise immediately against this disaster being committed by this mad Government under the mischievous manipulations of Ranil, the modern Do Juvan Dharmapala.