News

Powerful engineers union up in arms against Minister

Published

3 years ago

2022/12/11

By Ifham Nizam

The Ceylon Electricity Board Engineers Union (CEBEU) on Friday expressed grave concern about the move of the CEB top management going by the whims and fancies of Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera.

CEBEU Joint Secretary Isuru Kasthurirathene told The Sunday Island that they believe that the media briefing of the top management was initiated as per the instructions of the Minister of Power & Energy, where CEBEU feels that the top management is being used to do the Minister’s bidding as his often used Social Media (i.e. Twitter and Face Book) have been trashed by the public with their protests against the proposed malicious tariff Hike.

CEBEU points out that it seems obvious that as a politician, the Minister is seeking alternative methods to justify his propaganda to increase the electricity tariff despite immense hardships faced by the Citizens of the Country.

“We strongly believe that the timing of this proposed tariff hike and the agenda of the Government to privatise the CEB has a strong correlation”, the Union said.

CEBEU also said that as per the prevailing law in Sri Lanka, the power to increase/decrease the Electricity Tariff is with the PUCSL and such an authority cannot be overridden by a Cabinet decision. “Also, we need to emphasise the fact that the current crisis in the Power Sector has been a result of Political decisions made since 2014 disregarding the correct plans, facts and data provided by the specialist of the Sector”, it claimed ignoring the wide scale corruption and waste in the Board.

“If we all remember correctly, the decision to reduce the Electricity Tariff in 2014 by 25 % was taken by a politician and announced by him standing on a political stage, and CEB has been suffering from the consequences of that decision until today.”

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Civil Security Department Members Contribute a Day’s Salary to ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Fund

Published

2 hours ago

2026/01/25

Priyan

Members of the Civil Security Department have donated a day’s salary to the Rebuilding Sri Lanka Fund, which was established to restore livelihoods and rebuild the country following the devastation caused by cyclone Ditwah.

Accordingly, a cheque amounting to Rs. 40,870,686 was handed over on Thursday (22) at the Presidential Secretariat by the District Officer of the Civil Security Department G.Y.B. Perera to Secretary to the President, Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake.

Secretary to the Ministry of Public Security Ravi Seneviratne and Director General of the Civil Security Department, Major General Palitha Fernando (Retired), were also present on the occasion.

News

Colombo Stock Exchange (GL 12) donates LKR 25 million to the “Rebuilding Sri Lanka” Fund

Published

14 hours ago

2026/01/24

Priyan

The Colombo Stock Exchange (GL 12) has contributed LKR 25 million to the Rebuilding Sri Lanka Fund.

The cheque was handed over to the Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake by the Chairman of the Colombo Stock Exchange, Dimuthu Abeyesekera, the Chief Executive Officer Rajeeva Bandaranaike and Senior Vice Chairman Kusal Nissanka at the Presidential Secretariat.

News

Karu argues against scrapping MPs’ pension as many less fortunate members entered Parliament after ’56

Published

23 hours ago

2026/01/24

Thilina Walpola

Karu Jayasuriya

Former Speaker of Parliament Karu Jayasuriya has written to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake expressing concerns over the proposed abolition of MPs’ pensions.The letter was sent in his capacity as Patron of the Former Parliamentarians’ Caucus.

In his letter, Jayasuriya noted that at the time of Sri Lanka’s independence, political participation was largely limited to an educated, affluent land-owning elite. However, he said a significant social transformation took place after 1956, enabling ordinary citizens to enter politics.

He warned that under current conditions, removing parliamentary pensions would effectively confine politics to the wealthy, business interests, individuals engaged in illicit income-generating activities, and well-funded political parties. Such a move, he said, would discourage honest social workers and individuals of modest means from entering public life.

Jayasuriya also pointed out that while a small number of former MPs, including himself, use their pensions for social and charitable purposes, the majority rely on the pension as a primary source of income.

He urged the President to give due consideration to the matter and take appropriate action, particularly as the government prepares to draft a new constitution.The Bill seeking to abolish pensions for Members of Parliament was presented to Parliament on 07 January by Minister of Justice and National Integration Dr. Harshana Nanayakkara.