News

CEBEU warns of operational disruptions amid uncertainty over CEB restructuring

Published

1 month ago

2026/03/11

The Ceylon Electricity Board Engineers’ Union (CEBEU) yesterday warned that uncertainty surrounding the ongoing restructuring of the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) had forced many employees to refrain from performing their regular duties, raising concerns about potential disruptions to electricity sector operations.

The engineers’ union said the current situation had arisen due to what it described as either deliberate actions or extreme negligence in implementing the restructuring process, which has created significant confusion among staff who previously served under the CEB.

According to the union, although the state power utility has been formally restructured and new companies established, a large majority of former CEB employees have yet to receive official appointment letters, confirming their positions in the newly formed entities.

“The reality is that the institution, previously known as the Ceylon Electricity Board, no longer exists in its earlier form, yet most employees, who served under it, have not been issued proper appointment letters, or related documentation, assigning them to the newly established companies,” the CEBEU said.

The union said that while some workers had been issued “assignation letters”, those documents merely indicate the institution to which an employee has been attached and do not clearly define employment conditions, responsibilities, authority, or reporting structures.

“As a result, employees currently lack the necessary legal framework confirming their employment status, their duties, the authority under which they operate, and who they are accountable to within the new institutions,” the CEBEU said.

The engineers’ union emphasised that the current crisis was not created by employees but was the direct result of, what it called, shortsighted and questionable actions taken by those responsible for implementing the reforms.

It also expressed concern that the relevant Minister, appointed through the National List, had failed to hold meaningful discussions with employees, despite having previously advocated strongly for workers’ rights.

The union said trade union action had been launched only after months of unsuccessful attempts to resolve the issues through verbal requests and written communication with the authorities.

“Despite repeated appeals made over several months, there has been no satisfactory response. Decisions appear to have been taken under the assumption that a government with a strong mandate can proceed without proper consultation,” the union said.

However, the CEBEU stressed that employees engaged in essential operations—including power generation, transmission, and distribution—continue to work in order to ensure electricity supply to the public.

“These staff members are continuing their duties under considerable risk to prevent major disruptions to the electricity supply,” the union noted.

Nevertheless, the union warned that the prevailing uncertainty could affect certain operational activities, and restoration work following breakdowns may take longer than usual.

The CEBEU appealed to the public to understand the situation and expressed regret for any inconvenience that may arise.

“We request the public to understand the situation and cooperate with us during this difficult period. We sincerely regret any inconvenience that may be caused,” the union added.

By Ifham Nizam

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PM on inspection tour of newly renovated Colombo Central Bus Stand

Published

10 hours ago

2026/04/10

Priyan

The Colombo Central Bus Stand, which has a history of over six decades and had remained without a proper maintenance for many years, has now been renovated under the current government’s development programme and vested to the public. Following that, the Prime Minister undertook an inspection tour of the newly renovated Colombo Central Bus Stand.

Originally constructed in 1964, the bus stand was refurbished with modern facilities to meet current needs and was officially reopened to the public on April 8. The primary objective of this initiative is to provide passengers with a higher-quality and more comfortable transportation service.

During the renovation process, special attention has been given to the comfort and safety of women, which was commended by the Prime Minister. In particular, a modern rest area designed to ensure privacy for nursing mothers travelling from distant areas received special praise.

The Prime Minister also reviewed the newly introduced passenger seat reservation system and information services established to assist commuters. In addition, the modern surveillance unit and other security measures installed within the premises to ensure passenger safety were also inspected.

During the visit, the Prime Minister engaged in conversations with passengers at the bus stand and inquired about their views on the newly renovated facilities and the quality of transport services.

It was emphasized that the government’s objective is to transform public transportation into a safe, technologically advanced service that can be used with convenience by all citizens.

(Prime Minister’s Media Division)

Latest News

Sun directly overhead Nagawilluwa, Galgamuwa, Sigiriya, Palugasdamana and Mankerni about 12:11 noon today (10)

Published

11 hours ago

2026/04/10

Priyan

On the apparent northward relative motion of the sun, it is going to be directly over the latitudes of Sri Lanka from the 05th to 15th of April in this year.

The nearest areas of Sri Lanka over which the sun is overhead today (10th) are Nagawilluwa, Galgamuwa, Sigiriya, Palugasdamana and Mankerni about 12:11 noon.

News

Opposition tells Minister Kumara Jayakody to resign

Published

12 hours ago

2026/04/10

Thilina Walpola

Prof. Peiris

No-faith motion to be taken up today

Former Foreign Minister Prof. G. L. Peiris yesterday (9) said that President Anura Kumara Dissanayake should remove Energy Minister Kumara Jayakody unless the minister stepped down on his own.Prof. Peiris, addressing a press conference called by the Opposition, said that Jayakody couldn’t under any circumstance continue to serve as a minister after the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) moved the Colombo High Court against the government member over a previous financial scandal.

Pointing out that Minister Jayakody had been indicted of a corrupt deal struck during the yahapalana regime, Prof. Peiris said it was wrong for the NPP to retain him as a minister, claiming that the offence was not committed during his tenure as a Cabinet minister in the current government.

Prof. Peiris and several other Opposition members dealt with the No-Confidence Motion (NCM) against Jayakody that would be taken up today (10) with the academic calling the vote an acid test for the NPP. Having campaigned on an anti-corruption platform at presidential and parliamentary polls, the NPP couldn’t protect Jayakody though he was widely believed to be close to President Dissanayake.

As the Manager of the Procurement and Import Division of the Ceylon Fertilizer Company, Jayakody is alleged to have committed the offence of corruption, according to CIABOC.

Jayakody has been accused of causing a loss of Rs. 8,859,708 to the State by influencing and exploiting the procurement process.

Following the serving of indictments on 27 March, the judge ordered Jayakody’s release on two personal bail bonds of Rs. 1 million each. The court directed that the defendant’s fingerprints be obtained and a formal report be submitted. The case has been scheduled for a pre-trial conference on 6 May.

Prof. Peiris stressed that the CIABOC action against Jayakody is central to the NCM primarily moved over the irregularities ridden coal procurement process launched in 2025 that caused severe disruption to the power generation. Responding to The Island query after the media briefing, Prof Peiris expressed surprise that the JVP/NPP accommodated a person under investigation by the CIABOC. Having taken an utterly irresponsible decision, the JVP/NPP were now playing down the developing issue, prof. Peiris said.

The entire government parliamentary group faced the prospect of having its image tarnished by defending Jayakody, the former lawmaker said.

Prof. Peiris said that they intended to build a campaign around the issues involving the energy minister to expose the government. With yet another electricity tariff hike in the offing due to the growing demand for thermal generation as a result of coal-fired Lakvijaya power plant’s failure to meet the requirement[RA1] , the energy minister and ministry’s performances have to be examined, Prof. Peiris said.The timely release of the Auditor General’s report on controversial coal procurement should compel the government to decide on the energy minister’s fate or be prepared to face the fallout.

By Shamindra Ferdinando