• Says National Electrician Licensing Scheme implemented under PUCSL leadership and coordination could be deactivated
• Says around 20,000 electricians have already taken steps to obtain license
• Says electricity mafia is behind moves to close down PUCSL

 The Sri Lanka Association of Electricians (SLAE) points out that due to the closure of the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL), the National Electrician Licensing Scheme implemented under the leadership and coordination of the Commission will also be deactivated.

The Electrician Licensing Scheme has been prepared with the approval of the Government to provide recognition and a career ladder to electricians in this country. At present nearly 20,000 electricians have taken steps to obtain these licenses. Another 25,000 electricians are expected to apply in the future. 

However, due to the sudden decision of the Secretary to the President to close down the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka, the awarding of Electrician Licensing has become completely inactive, SLAE Convener Sanjeewa Dhammika said in a statement.

He said that all arrangements had been made to hold the inaugural ceremony of the issuance of electricity licenses last October under the patronage of the Prime Minister but they were informed at the last minute that it was postponed due to the second wave of the coronavirus outbreak.

The statement added that the awareness and educational programs on the licensing of electricians which has been conducted at district level are no longer conducted.

Under this program, the PUCSL and the National Vocational Training Authority have introduced a program to provide electricians with the National Vocational Qualification Level 3 (NVQ 3) for free of charge. The Commission had also taken steps to register electricians at the district level. But none of these programs are currently active.

Under the Licensing Scheme, an electrician has the opportunity to move up the career ladder and become a professional electrician. This scheme recognises electricians under the categories of Apprentice Electrician, Junior Electrical Electrician, Senior Electrical Electrician, Chief Electrical Electrician and Specialist Electrical Electrician.

Promotions are based on National Vocational Qualification or NVQ. A special feature of this project is providing the NVQ 3 based on the National Vocational Training Qualification, free of charge to all the electricians who are currently engaged in the electrical profession.

It was also announced that the program to provide free NVQ 3 will be launched from the Matara District. The project which aims to provide the NVQ 3 free of charge and the awareness program targeting the licensing scheme of the electrician has now become inactive.

The statement added that also in the pipeline are a pension scheme and an insurance scheme after the electricians are provided with the electrical professional licenses but such programs are all in jeopardy.

“A group of electrical engineers are working inside and outside the Ceylon Electricity Board, who are hindering the progress of the electricity industry. It is no secret that the purpose of closing down the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka is to exploit the electricity mafia by buying electricity at any will and to throw the electricity consumer and the electrician into the frying pan,” the statement said.

It added that more than 45,000 local electricians would work to defeat the conspiracy to shut down the PUCSL, which was working to protect the working and professional rights of electricians.

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