The Sri Lankan nation state is currently under the worst economic crisis since 1948 – it is in a state where the central government has not been able to regulate import of daily necessities like food, fuel, and medicines due to the crisis. This economic depression started last year and continued being there until now.
In the recent days, Sri Lanka has also been hard-hit by record inflation rates across the whole globe, the falling economic markets, and prolonged electrical blackouts. Such hardships have resulted into people getting on the streets with extensive round of protests against the President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, seeking his resignation at once.
The South Asian island has had tough days as it struggles to receive any foreign exchange that has led to a huge shortage of fuel (the country has been unable to import it due to lack of funds). Reports hint towards exhaustion of all fuel reserves in the country, meaning the entire nation is likely to run out of fuel within a few days.
Also Read: Sri Lankan government announces shutting down of schools amidst rising economic crisis
In order to eradicate such shortages, the Sri Lankan government is in talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for providing a bailout package. The shortages have led to panic among citizens and amidst crisis, large numbers of people have flocked into gas stations.
Amidst the economic tension that the Sri Lankan nation state is going through, Roshan Mahanama, the 1996 World Cup winning Sri Lankan cricketer, took to his twitter account to share photographs of him offering tea and buns to people queuing in fuel stations.
Posting the same, Mahanama tweeted, “We served tea and buns with the team from Community Meal Share this evening for the people at the petrol queues around Ward Place and Wijerama mawatha. The queues are getting longer by the day and there will be many health risks to people staying in queues.”
Adding more to his post, the former Sri Lankan cricketer wrote, “Please, look after each other in the fuel queues. Bring adequate fluid and food and if you’re not well please, reach out to the closest person next to you and ask for support or call 1990. We need to look after each other during these difficult times.”
Cricket is a gentleman’s game and it is undoubtedly true – earlier, Australian cricketers flying to the Sri Lankan soil for a away season series extended warm support to the country amidst the economic crisis.
Australian cricketing maestros, Mitchell Starc and Steve Smith, through a video posted by the Australian High Commission in Colombo urged their fans, family and friends to contribute whatever they can in the fight for Sri Lankan economic depression.They have appealed people to donate whatever possible to UN’s emergence funds that aim to raise $47.2 million for the people of Sri Lanka.
Also Read: The United States initiate Covid vaccination for children ageing between 6 months to five years
According to UN’s data, around 1.7 million Sri Lankan citizens are in need of help – three quarters of the population face food shortages, lack funds to survive, and has no access to fuel.
