Amid the economic crisis in Sri Lanka, former cricketer Roshan Mahanama has urged his countrymen to take care of each other during tough times as he himself finds people waiting in long queues at petrol stations around Ward Place and Wijerama Mawatha. Was seen serving tea and buns. territory of the island nation. The economic crisis has led to an acute shortage of essential items like food, medicine, cooking gas and other fuels, toilet paper and even matches.
We served tea and buns to the people in petrol queues around Ward Place and Vijerama Mawtha this evening along with the community food share team.
The queues are getting longer day by day and there will be many health risks for the people living in the queues. pic.twitter.com/i0sdr2xptI – Roshan Mahanama (@Rosh_Maha) June 18, 2022
The country is struggling to find foreign exchange to pay for much-needed fuel imports, and its current stock of petrol and diesel is expected to run out in a matter of days. While the country is in talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a bailout package, people have been forced to line up outside shops for hours to buy fuel and cooking gas.
“We served tea and buns with the team from community food shares for people in petrol queues around Ward Place and Vijerama Mawatha. The queues are getting longer day by day and there will be many health risks for the people living in the queues, tweeted Mahanama, who was part of the Sri Lankan cricket team that won the 1996 ODI World Cup, serving tea and buns to the people.
“Please, take care of each other in the fuel queues. Bring enough fluids and food and if you are not well, please reach out to the person closest to you and ask for support or call 1990. We need to take care of each other. is needed during these difficult times,” he said.
Sri Lanka is going through the worst economic crisis since independence. India has helped its neighbors with thousands of tonnes of diesel and petrol, besides food and medical supplies, to help ease the acute fuel shortage in the debt-ridden island nation.
Meanwhile, the Australian players, who are currently touring Sri Lanka for a multi-format series, also extended support to the country which is facing a spiraling crisis.
In a clip shared by the Australian High Commission in Colombo, pacer Mitchell Starc and batsman Steve Smith said they encouraged friends to ‘assist in any way’ the United Nations’ appeal for a $47.2 million emergency fund. are doing.
The United Nations has said that 1.7 million people in the country with a population of 22 million have so far needed ‘life-saving assistance’, adding that more than three-quarters of the population has reduced their food intake due to lack of food. has reduced.
“The United Nations has launched a flash appeal in Sri Lanka to support the poor communities affected by the crisis,” Stark said.
“We are proud that Australia is doing its job. Together we can help Sri Lanka get through this crisis,” Smith said.