Private fuel tanker strike unfair: Minister Kanchana

COLOMBO (News 1st); It is unfair of private fuel tanker owners to drive the Government up the wall and win their demands, says the Minister of Power and Energy, Kanchana Wijesekara. 

Expressing his views on the trade union action initiated by the owners of private fuel tankers, Minister Wijesekara stated that the private tanker owners have made further demands.

Accordingly, the private fuel tanker owners have made demands to increase their charges as they now have to pay a service charge as well as increased salaries of drivers and their assistants. However, the Minister said that it is unfair to hold the Government accountable for these increments as their payments have already been increased several times. 

The Minister stated that the Ministry bore Rs. 325.9 million already, which increased in March to Rs. 488.9 million. It was again to be increased to Rs. 554.1 million, therefore it is important to consider the financial position of the institution with Government institutions having being told to limit their expenditure considering the current financial situation.

Minister Kanchana added that the union is attempting to drive the Government up the wall by demanding more at a time when crises are being created.