Accusing the ruling UPFA of igniting racism and hunger across the country, the United National Party (UNP) today stated that the government will “sound the alarm” of a fuel price hike by the end of the year.

UNP Spokesman Gayantha Karunathilake claimed that the Petroleum Corporation does not have a single drop of furnace oil in its stocks and that however the Petroleum Industries Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, speaking at press conferences, is claiming there is no shortage.

Despite what the Minister says, officials at the Petroleum Corporation say there is no furnace oil, the UNP MP told reporters in Colombo.

He claimed that certain Petroleum Corporation officials are misleading the Minister and that he in turn is misleading the government.

 Pointing out that the government is incurring Rs 50 million in losses daily due to the closure of the Sapugaskanda refinery, Karunathilake said that it is also paying US$ 20,000 per ship in demurrages after holding 3 shiploads of crude oil.

Although the government alleges that demurrages are paid by the insurance companies, according to audit report they should be paid by the corporation, he said.

However, by the end of the year the government will sound the alarm saying fuel prices have been, he said, while adding, that trade unions have requested the President to intervene in the crisis the Petroleum Corporation has fallen into.