Expect blackouts if govt. goes ahead with questionable deal

By Ifham Nizam

Nearly 53,000 trade union members representing the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation, Ceylon Electricity Board and Ports Authority have voiced their opposition to the government’s energy deal with the US Based energy group, New Fortress.

Trade Union Alliance Convener/ Trade union member Ceylon Petroleum Corporation Ananda Palitha told The Island yesterday they would begin their picketing campaign from three places in Colombo. He also said that other unions too had expressed their support.

“We will give the government a few more days to reverse its decision, and on 06 Nov. we will resort to an all-out trade union action causing countrywide blackouts,” he warned.

Palitha said that their objective was not to topple the government, but to protect the country’s resources. “Sadly, the government, despite court cases and pleadings of the Mahananayakes and Civil Society, plays mum on the dangerous secret deal with the US.

Palitha warned the biggest countrywide protests would take place after the budget as there were plans to amend the Petroleum Act to give more powers to the Indian Oil Company. “This will be more disastrous than the LNG deal with the US,” he stressed, adding that the Trincomalee oil tanks would be handed over to the Indian control.

The Ceylon Electricity Board Engineers Union too has urged the government and the CEB against implementing the New Fortress Energy (NFE) LNG deal.