Tough three weeks : 10 points from PM's statement

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has warned that the next three weeks will be tough for Sri Lanka.

He made the observation during a special address to the Parliament on the current economic situation in the country.

The Prime Minister also revealed that measures are being taken to address the shortage of various essential items.

“We must unitedly face this situation patiently,” he added.

Following are ten key facts from the Prime Minister’s speech:

The public requested to refrain from hoarding fuel
The public urged to use gas sparingly
Food items worth about US$ 150 million to be imported to meet daily requirements
A cost of US$600 million a year to import fertilizer for paddy & other crops
Involved in various international assistance programs to import medicines and health equipment required for the country
Sri Lanka needs to find US$6 billion to keep the country afloat for the next six months
Currently in talks with the International Monetary Fund and discussions are based on Sri Lanka’s future economic plan
Many representatives of foreign countries and international organizations have agreed to support Sri Lanka
United Nations has arranged for a worldwide public appeal to provide US$48 million over a four-month period as humanitarian assistance
An interim budget, that will reduce unnecessary government spending, while controlling other costs, is to be presented to Parliament