CEB restructuring should be left to next President and Govt.: Ex-PUCSL Chief

Wednesday, 5 June 2024 00:36 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Criticises bill’s drafters for lack of constitutional awareness and urges them to retain their professional integrity
Argues bill gives too much power to subject Minister and could lead to unfair electricity price hikes
Suggests delaying privatisation of the CEB until a new President and Government are elected

Former PUCSL Chairperson Janaka Ratnayake

Former Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) Chairperson and Presidential hopeful Janaka Ratnayake yesterday criticised the professionals involved in drafting the new Sri Lanka Electricity Act after the Supreme Court found that it is inconsistent with the constitution.

Addressing the media following the ruling, Ratnayake said it should be required for the professionals involved in drafting the bill to be aware of its constitutionality.

“Professionals should retain the dignity of their profession and ensure they protect the rights of the public when drafting a law relating to an important facility such as electricity,” he said.

The former PUCSL Chief said the Supreme Court has suggested certain powers given to the Minister of Power and Energy under the draft bill be removed.

“Licence issues for power generation needed recommendations of the Minister but the Supreme Court in its proposed amendments had suggested it will not require recommendations from the Minister going forward,” Ratnayake noted.

He said the draft was brought forward to ensure the Minister could increase electricity tariffs according to his whims and fancies.

Ratnayake opined that an institution slated to gain $ 700 million in profits this year should not be privatised in a hurried manner. “The best option is to allow the next President and Government to decide on the restructuring efforts of the CEB,” Ratnayake added.

Supreme Court switches off Electricity Bill

Kanchana assures to add amendments to Electricity Bill at committee stage

Discover Kapruka, the leading online shopping platform in Sri Lanka, where you can conveniently send Gifts and Flowers to your loved ones for any event including Valentine ’s Day. Explore a wide range of popular Shopping Categories on Kapruka, including Toys, Groceries, Electronics, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Flower Bouquets, Clothing, Watches, Lingerie, Gift Sets and Jewellery. Also if you’re interested in selling with Kapruka, Partner Central by Kapruka is the best solution to start with. Moreover, through Kapruka Global Shop, you can also enjoy the convenience of purchasing products from renowned platforms like Amazon and eBay and have them delivered to Sri Lanka.