No Kerosene, No Food - Sri Lankan Fishermen Crisis

The crippling fuel shortage in Sri Lanka has left many of the country’s fishermen unable to go to sea, forcing them to work odd jobs for half their previous salaries (as little as $0.70 a day) as national inflation sits 65% higher than last year.

Kerosene supplies have resumed but with prices around four times higher than before as government subsidies have been slashed, despite power and energy minister Kanchana Wijesekera promising direct cash subsidies.

For some the only option left is the black market, but with those prices reportedly 20 times higher than previously subsidized kerosene it is a pointless exercise.