There were several heated debates on the fuel price formula in yesterday’s ‘Ratu Ira’ program on Swarnavahini channel.
National Jana Balawega parliamentary candidate Wasantha Samarasinghe and former energy minister Kanchana Wijesekera participated in that program. Kanchana Wijesekera alleged that President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and the Chairman of the Petroleum Statutory Corporation are making false statements regarding the fuel price formula.
Regarding a statement by the President that a company had sent a letter demanding damages to the government, Mr. Kanchana Wijesekera said that it was a statement made based on a lack of understanding of governance and that many such letters have been received under his government and previous governments.
But he pointed out that none of them have paid the losses to those companies and that the letter that has arrived this time can also be consulted by the Attorney General and related legal matters can be taken.
He further said that the government is liable to pay damages to any company only if the government releases fuel at a lower price under a subsidy at a price lower than the price set by their production cost and fuel price formula.
Accordingly, he further said that as mentioned earlier, the government can remove all fuel taxes and no company will ever have to pay a loss.