• PUCSL Chair claims proposed amendments lead to more recruitments, instead of helping to reduce employees

Noting that the number of employees of the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) must be reduced in order for it to become a profitable institution, the Chairman of the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL), Janaka Ratnayake, said that the proposed amendments to the Sri Lanka Electricity Act No. 20 of 2009 do not make any related changes. 

Speaking to The Daily Morning, he said: "The CEB currently has more than 22,000 employees. It is mandatory to reduce the number of employees if it is to recover from the loss-making status. But, the proposed amendments do not contribute to any reduction of employees. So, how can this be called “restructuring”? The relevant institutions should explain to the country how it will help to make the CEB a profitable institution."

He also said that, as about 14 institutions are to be established for the administration of the CEB and other related institutions through the relevant amendments, more employees may be recruited. "There are plans to establish 14 institutions through these amendments. Those 14 institutions will need 14 Boards of Directors, 14 Chairmen, and 14 General Managers. With these recruitments, the number of employees will increase. How can they turn the CEB into a profitable organisation?," he questioned.

Ratnayake revealed last week that with the proposed amendments to the Electricity Act, the CEB will be broken into 14 privately-owned enterprises, including the Norochcholai coal power plant and all hydro power plants including Mahaweli and Laxapana power plants. He further revealed that a new company will be established to manage CEB’s Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF), Employees' Trust Fund (ETF) and pension funds, while the PUCSL will be replaced by an entity named the Electricity Commission which would be governed by the Minister of Energy.

Commenting on the matter to The Daily Morning on an earlier occasion, Ratnayake said that the concerned parties including CEB trade unions should take action against the draft Bill. "The relevant draft has now been publicised. Any concerned party can study its content. All they have to do is to refer to the draft, which has already been released, and launch their 'war' against it." he said.