Page 6 - aruba-today-20220705

A6 WORLD NEWS
Tuesday 5 July 2022
Dutch farmers block entrances to supermarket warehouses

By PETER DEJONG out farmers.”
Associated Press The umbrella organization
ZAANDAM, Netherlands for supermarkets called on
(AP) — Dutch farmers an- police to take action and
gry at government plans to warned of possible shortag-
slash emissions used trac- es on supermarket shelves.
tors and trucks Monday “Blockades of distribution
to block roads and super- centers hurt the citizens of
market distribution centers, the Netherlands.
sparking fears of store food Supermarkets do every-
shortages in the latest ac- thing they can to keep the
tions through a summer of stores stocked, but if block-
discontent in the country’s ades continue, it could
lucrative agricultural sec- lead to people not being
tor. able to do their daily shop-
The Netherlands’ busiest ping,” the Central Bureau
aviation hub, Schiphol Air- for Food Trade said in a
port, urged travelers to use statement.
public transport to get to Traffic authorities warned
its terminals amid fears that motorists to prepare for de-
the blockades also would lays and possible slow-mov-
target airports. Fishermen ing tractors on the nation’s
acting out of solidarity with highways, but said that
farmers also blocked a A man passes a tractor with a sign reading “Think What You Want to Eat Without Famers” at a there were few problems
number of harbors. blockade outside a distribution center for supermarket chain Aldi in the town of Drachten, northern early Monday for commut-
The unrest among Dutch Netherlands, Monday, July 4, 2022. ers, possibly because many
farmers was triggered by Associated Press people opted to work from
a government proposal to “Their concerns are under- The reforms are expected distribution center for super- home rather than get stuck
slash emissions of pollut- stood and have our abso- to include reducing live- market chain Albert Heijn in in traffic.
ants like nitrogen oxide and lute attention. Good to be stock and buying up some the town of Zaandam, just Over the weekend, the
ammonia by 50% by 2030. and stay in conversation farms whose animals pro- north of Amsterdam. Plac- government appointed an
Provincial governments with each other,” tweeted duce large amounts of am- ards and banners affixed to intermediary to lead talks
have been given a year to one of the officials, Arthur monia. Farmers argue they the tractors read messages between farmers’ organi-
formulate plans to achieve van Dijk. are being unfairly targeted including, “Our farmers, our zations and officials draw-
the goal. Dozens more parked their and are being given no future.” ing up pollution reduction
A group of farmers in the tractors on a bridge over a perspective for their future. A tractor at another pro- measures. However, Prime
province of North Holland canal, forcing freight barg- Police looked on but did test, in the northern town of Minister Mark Rutte has
held talks with two senior es to moor up on either side not immediately take ac- Drachten, urged people to ruled out negotiating with
officials in the city of Haar- because the bridge could tion Monday as some 25 “think for a moment about farmers responsible for radi-
lem. not open to let them pass. tractors parked outside a what you want to eat with- cal protests.q

With no fuel and no cash, Sri Lanka keeps schools closed

land with none of the sup- owed about $800 million to home through banks in-
pliers willing to sell fuel on seven fuel suppliers. stead of informal channels.
credit. The available stocks, Last month, schools were He said workers’ remittanc-
sufficient for only several closed nationwide for a es, which usually stood at
days, will be provided for day due to fuel shortages $600 million per month, had
essential services, including and had remained closed declined to $318 million in
health and port workers, for the last two weeks in ur- June.
public transport and food ban areas. Schools will re- According to the Central
distribution, officials said. main shut until Friday. Bank, the remittances the
“Finding money is a chal- Authorities also announced nation’s main foreign ex-
lenge. It’s a huge chal- countrywide power cuts change earner dropped
lenge,” Power and Energy of up to three hours a day from $2.8 billion in the first
Minister Kanchana Wijese- from Monday because six months of 2021 to $1.3
kera told reporters. they can’t supply enough billion in the same period
He said the government fuel to power generating this year for a decline of
People wait to buy fuel at a fuel station in Colombo, Sri Lanka, has ordered new fuel stations. Sweeping power 53%.
June 27, 2022. stocks and the first ship with cuts have been a blight The drop came after the
Associated Press 40,000 metric tons of diesel on Sri Lanka’s economy for government last year or-
is expected to arrive on Fri- months, along with severe dered the mandatory con-
By BHARATHA MALLA- and parents to get children day while the first ship car- shortages of essentials in- version of foreign currency.
WARACHI to classrooms, and the en- rying gasoline would come cluding cooking gas, medi- It said that black-market
Associated Press ergy minister appealed to on July 22. cine and food imports. premiums have led people
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) the country’s expatriates to Several other fuel ship- Wijesekera said the main to hoard foreign currency.
— Cash-strapped Sri Lan- send money home through ments are in the pipeline. problem is the lack of dol- Sri Lanka’s has been get-
ka on Sunday extended banks to finance new oil But he said authorities are lars and appealed to some ting most of its fuel needs
school closures for one purchases. struggling to find $587 mil- 2 million Sri Lankans work- from neighboring India,
week because there isn’t A huge foreign debt has lion to pay for the fuel. Wije- ing abroad to send their which provided it with a
enough fuel for teachers left the Indian Ocean is- sekera said that Sri Lanka foreign exchange earnings credit line. q