Govt will focus on fixing economy, ending fuel shortage, says Ranil

Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe has said his government’s main priorities are to fix the country’s ailing economy and end the severe fuel shortage that has exacerbated after the last shipment under the Indian credit line arrived here in June.

Addressing a gathering at his party headquarters on Wednesday, the newly-elected president said his government was not against peaceful protest and would allow them all the time if the protesters did not break the law.

“I became the president at a most difficult time for the country. We have to set the economy right,” he said. Wickremesinghe said his government’s main task was to first reduce the length of fuel queues and then eliminate them completely.