Arjuna pledges to commence work on long-awaited refinery this year

• Work to commence on six more oil storage tanks 
• Say he is under pressure to abandon refinery project 
• Says he is nicknamed Chairman of Cleaning Services among his ministerial colleagues 

 Petroleum Resources Development Minister Arjuna Ranatunga yesterday ushered in the new year promising to build six more storage tanks and commence work on the proposed oil refinery system. 

The Minister assured workers of the Ceylon Petroleum Cooperation (CPC) that he would see the implementation of the projects even though he was under pressure from different people to abandon them. 

“We have started work on constructing oil tanks after 40 years. I assure you we will commence the construction of six more oil tanks within six months. We will also construct the proposed refinery system. Some people have tried exerting pressure to stop this construction saying it would be better to import oil at higher prices,” he said, addressing workers at a ceremony held to commence work for the new year. 

Taking a tough stance on his critics, the Minister claimed that he would not remain in his position if he was not allowed to work independently. Claiming that both President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe had confidence in his capacity to address issues at the institutions he has been appointed to, Ranatunga said that he was now nicknamed the ‘Chairman of Cleaning Services’. 

“When the President and the Prime Minister handed over this ministry they requested me to solve all the issues which existed within this ministry. I have already worked hard and made institutions profitable,” Minister Ranatunga said.

While speaking out against the privatisation of CPC, he claimed that workers would have to work at full capacity to change the fate of the institution. 

“Lanka OIC has become a part of oil distribution. Some people are trying to bring in third and fourth parties to the distribution network. We don’t prefer privatisation and the responsibility to protect this institution rests with us. Even workers who have completed 99.9% of the work, they have to complete the leftover 1% to reach success,” he said. 

Speaking at the ceremony, Petroleum Resources Development Deputy Minister Dr. Anoma Gamage claimed that the duo receives a large number of requests for approval for fuel stations or to find jobs. 

Gamage too encouraged employees to be productive in their work performance, stressing that shortcomings still existed despite vast improvements being recorded last year. She also called on the workers to work like a private organisation, claiming she was partial to privatising all government institutions. 

“We have to work as a private institution although this a government institution. I prefer to privatise all governmental institutions. I have worked at both private and government institutions and the most valuable thing is efficiency,” she said.

“Minister Ranatunga, the Board of the Directors and I are expecting to maintain an efficient service to avoid a fuel crisis in the future. We are blessed to be government servants. Therefore, work properly.” CPC Chairman Dammika Ranatunga praised the Minister and the Deputy Minister for their cooperation and for allowing him to work free of political interference.