News

Opposition trade union meets AKD’s reps, flays CEB

Published

1 year ago

2024/12/9

Thilina Walpola

Controversy over delay in granting relief to electricity consumers:

by Shamindra Ferdinando

Convener of the SJB’s trade union wing, Ananda Palitha, has said that the country expected President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s intervention to ensure that consumers received the immediate benefit of a downward electricity tariffs revision, which was long overdue.

Palitha told The Island that as NPP leader Dissanayake had assured the public in the run-up to the presidential election (21 Sept.) and, thereafter, an electricity tariff reduction, and the vast majority of electricity consumers had expected 30% to 35% downward tariff revision.

Palitha emphasised that it was up to President Dissanayake to prevent the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) from depriving consumers of relief. The President couldn’t go back on his election promise to reduce monthly electricity bills of Rs. 3,000 and Rs 6,000 by Rs. 1,000 and Rs. 3,000, respectively, Palitha said.

Asked whether the trade union intended to campaign for tariff reduction, Palitha said that they had taken the issue with Director General and Deputy Director General of the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) on 01 Nov. and subsequently written to President Dissanayake seeking his intervention.

The trade unionist said that in spite of the change of government the CEB seemed to be determined not to mend its ways. Having repeatedly assured the country of a much-touted system change, the ruling party must not allow the CEB to have its way in dealing with electricity consumers.

Palitha alleged that the CEB had deliberately delayed the submission of its tariff proposals to the PUCSL.

Responding to another question, Palitha said their trade union collective had received an opportunity to make a comprehensive presentation on behalf of electricity consumers to President Dissanayake’s senior aides at the Presidential Secretariat on 06 Dec.

“We explained how the top CEB management, particularly influential engineers, manipulated the whole pricing process to their advantage at the expense of the people struggling to make ends meet,” Palitha said, adding he hoped that the presidential aides had realized the gravity of the developing situation, particularly as within hours after their meeting the country was told anticipated tariff revision couldn’t be granted.

“How could the CEB declare that the tariff revision couldn’t be implemented after having offered 6% to 11% tariff reduction just a couple of weeks ago?” Palitha said. The incumbent political leadership couldn’t absolve itself of the responsibility for ensuring the CEB adhered to a Cabinet decision taken during the previous administration that there would be four tariff revisions yearly.

Palitha disclosed that the SJB trade unions had taken up with the President’s team Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe’s recent declaration that electricity consumers would be given a 30% tariff reduction over a period of three years whereas his leader had promised immediate relief.

Regardless of the CEB’s recommendations, the final decision in respect of electricity tariffs would be taken by the PUC, Palitha said, urging the NPP representatives to speak in one voice.

Palitha mentioned that both the government and the CEB owed an explanation to the public regarding the sudden declaration made by the latter that tariff reduction couldn’t be made as the government trade union leader at the CEB, Ranjan Jayalal, had disclosed on a live television debate the CEB earned Rs 62 bn profits in 2023 and so far Rs 142 bn this year. Jayalal made the declaration in support of his demand for thumping year-end bonuses for CEB employees, Palitha said, declaring providing relief to consumers should be the government’s priority.

Palitha said that Dissanayake who had been at the helm of the JVP since 2014 couldn’t be unaware how their union and other interested parties won their demands at the expense of not only the consumers but the entire country as well.

The SJB representative said that the country was yet to receive the benefit of the bulk of electricity being generated through hydro power.

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News

Govt. extends ban on LTTE

Published

9 hours ago

2026/01/13

Sahan Weerasooriya

The NPP government has issued a new extraordinary gazette renewing and extending Sri Lanka’s long-standing ban on the LTTE and several Tamil diaspora organisations and individuals, continuing to designate them as “terrorists”.

The gazette, published recently, replaces a previous gazette issued in May 2025 and reaffirmed the proscription of a wide range of Tamil political and advocacy bodies operating around the world, alongside dozens of named individuals. The government alleged both the organisations and individuals listed are involved in “terrorism-related activities”.

The organisations blacklisted by the Sri Lankan government include:

• Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)

• Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation (TRO)

• Tamil Coordinating Committee (TCC)

• World Tamil Movement (WTM)

• Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE)

• World Tamil Relief Fund (WTRF)

• National Council of Canadian Tamils (NCCT)

• Tamil Youth Organisation (TYO)

While the majority of the designations mirror those contained in the May 2025 gazette, the latest document updates identification details and addresses for a number of individuals and introduces at least one additional organisation to the list. All entries have been reissued under new reference numbers for 2026, though the underlying allegations and framing remain unchanged.

Successive governemnts have maintained a sweeping proscription regime against Tamil diaspora groups and individuals. A ban can make it a criminal offence for Sri Lankan citizens to maintain contact with these organisations or their members, severely restricting political engagement and stifling links between the diaspora and the Tamil homeland.

The original mass listings were introduced in 2014 under the administration of Mahinda Rajapaksa. Despite repeated outcry, subsequent governments have continued to uphold and renew the proscription regime, even after the Rajapaksas were voted out of power.

News

Police obtain court order banning Wimal’s protest

Published

9 hours ago

2026/01/13

Sahan Weerasooriya

National Freedom Front (NFF) leader Wimal Weerawansa addresses a gathering outside the Education Ministry on Monday before launching a protest demanding the immediate resignation of Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya as Education Minister over the inclusion of a link to an adult content website in the Grade 06 English module. (Pic by Thushara Atapattu)

Police yesterday (12) obtained an injunction order from the Kaduwela Magistrate’s court against the protest launched by National Freedom Front (NFF) leader and former Minister Wimal Weerawansa opposite the Education Ministry, Isurupaya, at Battaramulla.

Police informed Weerawansa of the court order. In line with the court order, the police informed Weerawansa that the road near the Ministry should not be obstructed and that no sound amplification equipment be used while the GCE Advanced Level (A/L) examination is in progress. The examination, put off due to Cyclone Ditwah, recommenced yesterday.

News

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi expresses optimism that Sri Lanka is on the right path to progres

Published

9 hours ago

2026/01/13

Sahan Weerasooriya

FM Herath with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism Vijitha Herath held productive discussions with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi today (12/01), during the latter’s brief visit to Sri Lanka.

The meeting aimed at further strengthening bilateral engagement and advancing the Strategic Cooperative Partnership between the two countries. Both Ministers reaffirmed the longstanding friendship and time-tested cooperation between Sri Lanka and China rooted in centuries of exchanges and consolidated since the establishment of diplomatic relations seven decades ago. The discussion also focused on enhancing partnership in the areas of trade, investment, development cooperation and tourism.

Minister Herath extended deep appreciation to the Government and the people of China for the steadfast support extended to Sri Lanka following cyclone Ditwah and requested further support for the second phase of resettlement, relocation and rebuilding, particularly for the restoration of affected infrastructure including identified roads, railways and bridges that are vital to connectivity, economic recovery and daily lives of people. Minister Wang assured China’s fullest support for this initiative and expressed confidence that Sri Lanka will continue its rapid recovery under the leadership of President Anura Kumara Disanayaka. He also welcomed the people-centric policies of the Government and expressed optimism that Sri Lanka is on the right path toward fulfilling aspirations of its people.

Minister Herath expressed appreciation for China’s constructive role in international fora and reiterated Sri Lanka’s firm commitment to the One China Policy and China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Both Ministers also recalled the successful high level exchanges in the recent past, including visits of the President and the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka to China in 2025.