A group of UNP ministers is said to have asked the Prime Minister to request that the President remove Minister Arjuna Ranatunga who is said to have acted against the decisions made by the four person committee appointed through cabinet approval to review fuel prices according to the fuel pricing formula.
The Ministers had met the Prime Minister yesterday to make the request.
According to Minister Harsha De Silva, the government is often put in a difficult position due to the behaviour of the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) Chairman Dhammika Ranatunga. However, it was not possible to obtain a response from the Chairman as his mobile phone went unanswered.
Fuel pricing formula approved by cabinet!
The Ministry of Finance increased the prices of fuel day before at midnight according to the fuel pricing formula which was approved by the cabinet in May.
However, CPC in contrary to the decision had issued a circular to its filling stations claiming the revision was incorrect. The Ministry of Petroleum resources development said the Ministry of Finance can only recommend a price change but the final decision lies if to do so is with the Ministry of Petroleum Resources Development.
However, the Ministry of Finance now says a decision will be taken at the next cabinet meeting regarding the Ministry of Petroleum Resources Development non-compliance to the pricing review done according to the fuel pricing formula.
Four-member committee :
The fuel pricing formula committee comprises of Deputy Treasury Secretary S.R Atigala, two directors of the Treasury, Secretary to the Ministry of Petroleum and another agent of the Ministry.
Prices of fuel have been sold according to old prices at CPC stations while only IOC are selling fuel at the newly recommended prices. Commenting on the issue Minister Harsha De Silva said the CPC Chairman cannot act as he pleases regarding the price changes.
Arjuna silent!
When Minister of Petroleum, Arjuna Ranatunga was approached to get a clarification regarding the current situation, he nor his Media Secretary were able to give a satisfactory answer. Repeated attempts to contact the Ministry Secretary, Upali Marasinghe also failed.
Fuel price to change every week!
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Finance has announced that the current fuel pricing formula will be changed so that fuel prices will be reviewed once a week rather than one in two months.
This will benefit the people more the government believes as the government will then not have to wait two months to give people the benefit of a price reduction in such an event.
As a result, a new pricing formula is set to be presented to the cabinet which will see prices being reviewed every week.
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