News
Fate of Rs 25 billion CEB consumer deposit fund in doubt – Activist
By Anuradha Hiripitiyage
There was a possibility that over Rs. 25 billion in consumer deposits with the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) would not be refunded due to the dissolution of the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL), Secretary of the Union of Electricity Consumers (UEC) Sanjeewa Dhammika told The Island yesterday.
When a person obtained an electricity connection from the CEB, he or she had to place a deposit at the regional CEB Engineer’s office. As per Sri Lanka Electricity Act, No. 20 of 2009, the CEB has to pay consumers an interest on those deposits, Dhammika said.Section 28.3 of the Act says ‘(3): Where any sum of money is provided to a distribution licensee by way of security in pursuance of this section, the licensee (CEB) shall pay interest on such sum of money at such rate as may from time to time be fixed by the licensee with the approval of the Commission (PUCSL), for the period in which it remains in the hands of the licensee.’
Dhammika said: “None of the governments has paid this interest although the PUCSL annually declares the interest rate that has to be paid. Now, there is about Rs. 25 billion of our money with the CEB. Since the PUCSL is to be dissolved, who is there to keep an eye on this money?”
Dhammika said that with Rs. 25 billion the government could construct a 100 megawatt power plant. The CEB should not be allowed to swindle the Rs. 25 billion that belonged to the electricity consumers, he insisted.
“The PUCSL was the only place we could go to over issues related to electricity. It has already resolved over 6,000 cases. If the PUCSL is dissolved what are we to do? Are we to take legal action? How many of us can afford to go to court?”
Certain sections were trying to create the impression that PUCSL didn’t let the CEB work. After the present government came to power, the PUCSL was asked to approve three LNG plants and two were approved within a month, he said.
“The problem with the remaining project is that the tender process has not been followed. The PUCSL can’t approve a project that didn’t follow a tender process. It’s against the Act.”
From 2016, the PUCSL has approved the construction of power plants that could have added 1,450 megawatts to the national grid, Dhammika said. Those plants however were not constructed by the CEB.”
Dhammika warned that once the PUCSL was gone it was likely that electricity tariffs would be increased. “As long as the PUCSL existed, it determined what the price of a unit of electricity was. Without a regulator, the CEB could quote any price they want.”
The PUCSL had commenced giving certificates for electricians and so far about 20,000 had received accreditation, Dhammika said Dhammika said, adding that there were around 45,000 electricians in the country and that 90% of them did not have professional certification.
“They only have experience. The PUCSL has commenced an initiative to provide them with accreditation. The PUCSL was also to introduce a scheme that allowed electricians to study and sit for NVQs. Electricians from 20 districts have already been identified for the programme. If the PUCSL is dissolved, all this will stop. We urge the government not to go ahead with this disastrous policy.”
Minister Alahapperuma was not immediately available for comment.
It has been reported quoting police sources that the death toll from the renewed unrest at the Negombo Prison which this morning, has risen from nineteen to twenty five (25).
A clash initially broke out between two groups of inmates (a group of remand prisoners and a group of convicted inmates serving sentences) at the Negombo Prison at around 1.00 p.m. on Sunday (05).
Two inmates died in yesterday’s clash, while around 40 others sustained injuries and are receiving treatment at hospital.
Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that the children of Sri Lanka are well capable of viewing the world with creativity and critical ways of thinking, and that the Government is committed to equipping them with the required knowledge and modern technologies necessary to realize their full potential.
The Prime Minister made these remarks while attending the opening of the ’Arumasiya’ Exhibition and the occasion of laying the foundation stone for a new three-storey building at Balangoda Vidyaloka Central College, on the 4th of July.
During the visit, the Prime Minister officially declared open the exhibition showcasing the students’ innovations and creative talents and commended them for their remarkable achievements. The Prime Minister also participated in the ceremony of laying the foundation stone for the construction of the College’s new three-storey building.
Addressing the occasion, Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated:
“It is a pleasure to participate in this special event at Balangoda Vidyaloka Central College, the school where Sri Lanka’s first female Prime Minister received her education
I had the opportunity to visit the exhibition featuring the outstanding creations and innovations of the students. What I witnessed was a group of talented young people who have moved beyond textbook learning and are capable of viewing the world with creativity and critical thinking.
We are introducing a new education reform process that moves away from a rote-learning, examination-oriented system towards a practical and skills-based one. The Government is now systematically completing all the necessary preparations to implement the new education reforms scheduled to commence in 2027.
Our objective is to ensure that every child leaving school has access to vocational and technical education that matches their individual talents and meets the demands of the modern labour market. We are committed to transforming vocational education into a field that enjoys the same dignity and recognition as university education.
Finally, I commend the Principal and the academic staff of Balangoda Vidyaloka Central College for organizing this exhibition, and to the students and parents whose dedication made this event a success.”
The event was attended by Members of Parliament for Ratnapura District Wasantha Pushpa Kumara and Sunil Rajapaksha, the Mayor of Balangoda and members of the Municipal Council, the Zonal Director of Education, the Principal and academic staff of Balangoda Vidyaloka Central College, parents, and students.
Prime Minister’s Media Division
The appointment of a Special Parliamentary Ombudsman (SPO) to inquire into the complaints against the Attorney General, as promised in the NPP manifesto, is on hold, pending the establishment of an Independent Office of the Public Prosecutor and provincial Sub Officers.
Authoritative sources told The Island that the Justice and National Integration Ministry was awaiting the recommendations, regarding the new legislation for the establishment of such an Office, from a Committee of Technical Experts, chaired by Justice Yasantha Kodagoda, PC.
Responding to a query raised in Parliament by SJB lawmaker Ajith P. Perera about the delay in appointment of SPO, Justice and National Integration Minister Harshana Nanayakkara said the government couldn’t take a decision until the Kodagoda Committee made recommendations.
Nanayakkara said that the positioning of the SPO couldn’t be decided before they differentiate the powers of the Attorney General and the an Independent Office of the Public Prosecutor and provincial Sub Officers.
According to the NPP manifesto, provincial Sub Officers were to be established under a senior Additional Solicitor General.
Opposition sources pointed out that the relevant Cabinet decision was taken on 7 May 2025. According to the Cabinet Office, the government decided to establish an Independent Office of the Public Prosecutor and provincial Sub Officers in line with a proposal made by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, in her final report on Sri Lanka, submitted in September, 2024.
By Shamindra Ferdinando
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