- Notes duality in SLPP Leader’s public statements & Party-led Govt. stance
The Electricity Consumers' Association (ECA) urged former President and incumbent Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) Leader and Government Parliamentarian, Mahinda Rajapaksa to press the Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera to withdraw the proposed Electricity Bill.
In a letter written to Rajapaksa, the ECA claimed that Rajapaksa is playing double roles, pretending that he is against the privatisation of national assets while remaining silent when the subject Minister is purportedly attempting to privatise the State-run power stations.
Speaking to The Daily Morning yesterday (30), the ECA General Secretary Sanjeewa Dhammika claimed that Rajapaksa is attempting to mislead the public in order to maintain his public image while endorsing legislation that privatises key national assets. Alleging that the provisions of the new Bill provide for the sale of the Norochcholai Power Plant to the private sector, he said that Rajapaksa should prevent his Party members from selling national assets if he genuinely worries about the situation. Dhammika also alleged that the new Bill proposes the sale of 30% of the ownership of State owned hydropower plants to private parties. “Wijesekera is a prominent member of the SLPP led by Rajapaksa. If he (Rajapaksa) says that he is not endorsing the privatisation of national assets, it means that Wijesekera is doing something not endorsed by his Party. Therefore, Rajapaksa has a right to stop him (Wijesekera) from doing such things. There will be no use in making a statement to maintain the public image if he (Rajapaksa) does not really work on it. Therefore, we urged him (Rajapaksa) to intervene in the matter directly instead of playing double roles,” he added.
Recently, in a statement addressing the growing concerns over the Government’s alleged plans to sell off national assets and State owned enterprises (SOEs), Rajapaksa stated that these actions of the Government have given rise to discontent among the trade unions, political parties, and the general public. Rajapaksa emphasised his administration’s stance of not selling a single SOE during his tenure as the President.