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CEB experienced staff in alarming exodus after inflation, taxes: Union

Published

3 years ago

2024/03/17

ECONOMYNEXT –State-run Ceylon Electricity Board is losing qualified engineers at an alarming rate, after a currency collapse and new progressive taxes slapped on the debased salary, and they are not coming back, union officials said.

Ceylon Electricity Board has a cadre of around 1,000 engineers but they have been usually managing with lower levels of around 900, they said.

Since 2022, about 150 have left the CEB for foreign countries, leading to serious gaps in some branches with engineering staff down to about 750, Dhanushka Parakramasinghe, President of the CEB Engineers Union told reporters in Colombo.

Sri Lanka’s rupee collapsed from 200 to 330 to the US dollar in 2022 after two years of money printed by macro-economists to target ‘potential output’ using ‘data driven’ monetary policy, followed by a float failure with a surrender rule.

About 105 engineers have resigned and about 54 have taken leave, Parakramasinghe said.Most have left with jobs already found.There have been reports that doctors who left the country are coming back.

“Engineers are not coming back,” Parakramasinghe said. “Some are coming back to resign. Some who left on leave having got PR, have sent resignation letters from abroad.”

Engineers are leaving for Ireland, Australia and New Zealand, to work in utilities and also the mining sector.

Sri Lanka’s coal power complex needs 96 staff and they are now down to 70, he said. CEB runs in shifts, round the clock.

Coal plant staff can easily get jobs in the mining sector in many countries including South Africa, where heavy machinery is in operation, he said.

“But our people usually like to go to Australia or Western European countries,” Parakramasinghe said.

Those who are leaving are offered jobs from 4,000 to 8,000 dollars based on experience and type of jobs, he said.

Engineers working in operations and maintenance (O & M) in transmission and generators are also in high demand abroad, the Union said.

An entry level engineer gets around 150,000 to 170,000 rupees, at the CEB. It works out to around 5 dollars a day. At the central bank, which debases money, office assistants were paid 186,000 according to disclosures made in parliament.

Sri Lanka’s progressive taxes under an International Monetary Fund program, apply from around 3 dollars a day (100,000 rupees) through pay-as-you-earn taxes.

On one side senior staff are retiring and the CEB is seeing a drain of middle level staff who have about 10 years of experience, who are next in line, the Union said.

CEB will have problems maintaining service if the staff go abroad at this level, Buddhika Wijayawardhana, joint secretary of the CEBEU said.There is also no incentive for young graduates to join the CEB under current conditions, he said.

Sri Lanka has some of the highest housing costs in the world, based on calculations done by reputed organizations, union officials said, and acquiring a house is now next to impossible. The same applied to a car.

Comparable living standards elsewhere was much higher. Salary was a key reason for people leaving.At one time low interest rates were given for staff for housing, which was now in doubt he said.

After Sri Lanka’s rupee was left without a credible monetary anchor from around 1978, Sri Lanka’s interest rates and inflation shot up for ordinary people but some private and state entities gave low interest rate loans to staff.

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Flood warning issued to the Divisional Secretariat Divisions of Ganga Ihala Korale, Udapalatha, Doluwa, Udunuwara, Yatinuwara, Gangawata Korale, Harispattuwa, and Pathadumbara

Published

13 hours ago

2026/09/20

Priyan

Due to heavy rainfall received in the upper catchment areas of the Mahaweli River over the past few hours, there is a risk of minor flooding in the low-lying areas surrounding the Mahaweli River within the Divisional Secretariat Divisions of Ganga Ihala Korale, Udapalatha, Doluwa, Udunuwara, Yatinuwara, Gangawata Korale, Harispattuwa, and Pathadumbara.Residents living in the above mentioned areas and motorists using roads passing through these areas are urged to exercise extreme caution and remain highly vigilant regarding the prevailing situation.

Furthermore, residents living in close proximity to the Mahaweli River in these areas are advised to remain highly alert to the situation and take all necessary precautions to protect themselves from any potential flooding.The relevant disaster management authorities are requested to take all necessary measures in response to this situation.

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Landslide Red Alerts issued to the districts of Kandy, Kegalle and Nuwara Eliya

Published

13 hours ago

2026/09/20

Priyan

The National Building Research Organisation [NBRO] has issued landslide Red Alerts to the districts of Kandy, Kegalle and Nuwara Eliya effective from 14:00 hrs on 20.09.2026 To 14:00 hrs on 21.09.2026

Accordingly,
LEVEL III [RED] Land Slide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Pasbage Korale in the Kandy district, Dehiowita, Aranayake, Deraniyagala, Mawanella and Yatiyanthota in the Kegalle district and Kothmale West, Kotmale East, Ambagamuwa and Norwood in the Nuwara Eliya district

LEVEL II [AMBER] Land Slide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Padukka in the Colombo district, Nagoda, Thawalama and Neluwa in the Galle district, Bulathsinhala, Palindanuwara, Walallawita and Agalawatta in the Kalutara district, Ganga Ihala Korale in the Kandy district, Bulathkohupitiya and Kegalle in the Kegalle district, Akuressa and Pitabeddara in the Matara district, Thalawakele in the Nuwara Eliya district and Pelmadulla, Ratnapura, Ayagama, Kuruwita and Ratnapura in the Ratnapura district.

LEVEL I [YELLOW] Land Slide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Seethawaka in the Colombo district, Niyagama and Baddegama in the Galle district, Mirigama in the Gampaha district, Ingiriya in the Kalutara district, Udapalatha and Yatinuwara in the Kandy district, Galigamuwa, Warakapola and Ruwanwella in the Kegalle district, Kotapola, Pasgoda and Athuraliya in the Matara district, and Eheliyagoda, Kalawana and Elapatha in the Ratnapura district.

News

Development projects can deliver results to the people more quickly when the political authority and the public service work together towards a common goal – PM

Published

15 hours ago

2026/09/20

Priyan

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that development projects can deliver results to the people more quickly when the political authority and the public service work together towards a common, people-oriented objective.

The Prime Minister made these remarks while participating in a discussion held on Friday [September 18] at the Western Province Council Auditorium to review the progress of the development project to rehabilitate Rathmalana Kandawala Road and the drainage system on either side of the road, within the Dehiwala–Mount Lavinia Municipal Council limits in the Colombo District.

The project, which commenced on September 10, 2026, is scheduled to be completed before June 30, 2027. Implemented by the Provincial Road Development Authority (PRDA), the project includes the construction of a bridge at a cost of Rs. 64 million, the rehabilitation of the drainage system at a cost of Rs. 930 million, and the rehabilitation of the road at a cost of Rs. 115 million.

The Prime Minister also paid special attention to the progress of the responsibilities assigned to the Western Province Council, the Irrigation Department and the Ratmalana Divisional Secretariat in accordance with decisions taken at the previous committee meeting. Attention was also given to the current status of the plans being carried out by the Sri Lanka Land Development Corporation (SLLRDC), as well as the construction and maintenance activities being undertaken by the Provincial Road Development Authority (PRDA).

Commending the expedite and commendable progress of the project, the Prime Minister particularly appreciated the commitment demonstrated by officials of the relevant government institutions to work in close coordination with one another and in collaboration with the political authority.

The Prime Minister also emphasised the importance of taking measures well in advance to control flooding and minimise its impact on Colombo and several other districts in view of the rainy weather that may affect the Western Province during the latter part of this year.

The meeting was attended by the Chairman of the Colombo District Coordinating Committee and Member of Parliament Lakshman Nipuna Arachchi, Chairperson of the Ratmalana Divisional Coordinating Committee and Member of Parliament Samanmalee Gunasinghe, Chairman of the Roads Sub-Committee of the Colombo District Coordinating Committee Dewananda Suraweera, Mayor of the Dehiwala–Mount Lavinia Municipal Council Parakum Shantha, Chief Secretary of the Western Province K.G. Pradeep Pushpakumara, along with a number of government officials.

[Prime Minister’s Media Division]