News
JVP, too, moves court against deal with US company
By Chitra Weerarathne and A.J.A. Abeynayake
The JVP yesterday (26) filed a writ application in the Court of Appeal requesting it to declare null and void a Cabinet decision to transfer 40 percent of the Yugadanavi Power Plant to US Company, New Fortress Energy Inc.
Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Cabinet of Ministers, the Ceylon Electricity Board, West Coast Power (Pvt) Ltd, Lakdanavi Limited, the Monetary Board of the Central Bank, the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation have been named as respondents among 43 others.
The JVP’s petition has come in the way of Colombo’s Archbishop Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith and Ven Elle Gunawansa, the Samagi Jana Balavegaya and the Federation of National Organisations (FNO) moving the court against the controversial deal with US energy company,The application has also sought a writ of mandamus on the respondents preventing them from taking any action with regard to the matter until the application is taken up and its examination is concluded.
Former JVP MPs Sunil Handunnetti and Wasantha Samarasinghe are the petitioners.
The petitioners state that the Cabinet decisions undermine the rule of law, the Constitution and democratic principles enshrined in the Constitution and several other statutes, and conventions of democratic governance and Cabinet of Ministers exercising executive powers.
The petitioners state that LTL Holdings (Pvt) Ltd., is the largest power sector engineering company in the country. It was first incorporated in the 1980s as a joint venture of the Ceylon Electricity Board and a multinational group – ABB of Norway.
The Petitioners state that Lakdanavi (Pvt) Ltd., is a fully owned subsidiary of LTL Holdings (Pvt) Ltd., and is a company specialised in engineering, procurement and construction and operations and maintenance in the energy and power generation sector.
They assert that the government has not properly explained particulars of the deal even to the Cabinet of Ministers when transferring the shares of the power plant to the American company.
They have also alleged that the government has not obtained the approval of Parliament for the agreement in question and that the relevant share transfer process has not been carried out in accordance with a formal tender procedure.
They have sought the Appeals Court to issue an order rescinding the decision taken to transfer the shares to the American company and the agreement signed by the government.
In addition, the General Secretary of the SJB MP Ranjith Madduma Bandara filed a Fundamental Rights application in the Supreme Court on 21 Oct., challenging the government decision to transfer 40 per cent of the Kerawalapitiya Power Plant to the US firm.
Power sector workers shouldn’t be granted year-end bonuses
Leader of the Eksath Janaraja Peramuna (EJP) and former Power Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka said that CEB workers shouldn’t be granted year end/Christmas bonuses as they had not contributed to the much favourable current financial status of that state-owned enterprise.
Ex-parliamentarian Ranawaka said that the CEB had earned massive profits solely by implementing extremely unfair tariff structure, therefore workers shouldn’t be paid bonuses.
The former Minister was addressing the media at the EJP Colombo office. Referring to official records, the EJP leader said that the CEB had earned a profit of Rs. 6161 mn in 2023 and also saved Rs. 36 bn. So far this year (January to November), the CEB had recorded Rs. 263 bn profit but the government continued to fleece consumers.
Ranawaka also questioned the failure on the part of the government to provide electricity consumers relief as decided by the Cabinet during the previous government that there would be quarterly revision of pricing formula.
Ranawaka said that the government should explain why it couldn’t decrease fuel prices by a significant amount. The NPP administration should at least admit that it couldn’t do away with the current unbearable tax regime. The ex-parliamentarian asked the NPP to acknowledge that the government feared collapse in case of abolition of heavy taxes on fuel.
The ex-Minister challenged the NPP to prove accusations that had been directed at ministers of previous governments without propagating allegations. According to Ranawaka, both diesel and petrol prices remained high as the government levied Rs 50 and 72 on diesel and petrol, respectively, in addition to 18% VAT (Value Added Tax).
Ranawaka pointed out that in addition to Ceypetco, IOC and Sinopec had been levying taxes heavily with diesel (Rs 88-94) and petrol (Rs 110-117) imports per litre (SF)
A person who had been apprehended by protesting Development Officers during a noisy demonstration outside the Education Ministry at Isurupaya and handed over to police was subsequently identified as a member of the Military Intelligence.
Police said that those demanding they be made permanent in the teaching service alleged that the apprehended man allegedly caused injuries to policemen deployed at the scene.
A Sub-Inspector of Police (SI) and two constables were injured. (HR)
Muhammathu Saali Naleem was sworn in as a member of the Tenth Parliament yesterday before Speaker Dr. Asoka Ranwala.
Following the oath taking, Naleem signed the Members’ Roll in the presence of Secretary General of Parliament, Kushani Rohanadeera, marking his formal induction into the legislative body. Naleem was appointed as a National List Member of Parliament, representing the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC).
The inaugural session of the Tenth Parliament took place on November 21st, 2024, with members taking their oaths the following day. On November 22nd, the Election Commission issued a gazette notification confirming Naleem’s appointment to the National List of the SLMC, paving the way for his oath-taking ceremony yesterday.
Before entering Parliament, Naleem served as the Chairman of the Eravur Urban Council, bringing valuable local governance experience to his new role as a lawmaker.
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