'No fuel price hike'

The government has no intention of increasing domestic fuel prices, Petroleum Industries Minister Susil Premajayantha said yesterday.

His comments came following a statement made by UNP Parliamentarian John Amaratunga that the government was planning to increase fuel prices. Addressing yesterday's Cabinet briefing at the Information Department Auditorium, Premajayantha said that the price of a barrel of crude oil has gone down in the world market due to the release of deposits by America and Middle East. He said that the government did not increase fuel prices when crude oil prices were increased in the world market.

The minister said that although prices of other items increase when fuel prices are raised, they do not go down when fuel prices are decreased.

The minister said that the alleged contamination of fuel, according to reports, is probably as a result of fuel being mixed with rain water and residue in fuel tanks at filling stations. SM