Colombo: Sri Lanka’s public‑sector workers stayed home on Wednesday as the government introduced a mid‑week break to help manage fuel shortages triggered by the US‑Israeli war on Iran.
The new workweek was announced on Monday by the Commissioner General of Essential Services Prabath Chandrakeerthi and applies to sectors such as education, administration and public transportation. State institutions providing essential services such as healthcare will operate normally.
Chandrakeerthi told reporters after an emergency Cabinet meeting that the government will ask the private sector to “follow suit and declare every Wednesday a holiday from now on.”
Sri Lanka imports all of its oil, and supplies have been disrupted after the US and Israel attacked Iran on Feb. 28, leading to the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz — the main gateway for Asia’s fuel imports from the Middle East.
The mid-week break follows the introduction of weekly fuel rations under a QR code system, allowing 15 liters for cars and 5 liters for motorcycles to prevent hoarding.
