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CEB Chair Ferdinando’s resignation not accepted: Lokuge

28 Jan 2022

Power Minister Gamini Lokuge said yesterday (27) that the relevant authorities have not accepted the resignation letter handed over by Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) Chairman M.M.C. Ferdinando on 26 January.  Speaking to the media yesterday, Lokuge said that they have not accepted Ferdinando’s resignation.  The CEB Engineers’ Union (CEBEU) earlier called upon the authorities to immediately remove Ferdinando, claiming that his actions are rooted in protecting the controversial agreement with the US-based New Fortress Energy Inc. (NFE) concerning the liquefied natural gas (LNG) Yugadanavi power plant in Kerawalapitiya. The resignation letter, publicised by the CEBEU, shows that Ferdinando tendered his resignation, citing “a personal reason”. The CEBEU has earlier expressed its displeasure at the conduct of Ferdinando, who they claim “is trying to run the CEB as his own property and doing all these manipulations in order to achieve his sole ambition in the CEB – striking the Yugadanavi NFE LNG deal”. The CEBEU launched a sick leave campaign on 18 January, against what they claim to be the “illegal appointment of Engineer Dr. M.N. Susantha Perera” as the new temporary General Manager (GM) of the CEB. Dr. Perera assumed duties as the GM from 15 January. According to the CEBEU, Perera was also the second witness on behalf of the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) during the signing of the agreement between the NFE and the GoSL. Ferdinando was the first witness. On 25 January, Eng. Dr. Rohantha Abeysekara was appointed as the CEB Acting GM, with the CEBEU stating that the appointment was a significant point in their struggle, “although the struggle is not yet over”. “Dr. Abeysekara received the letter of appointment as the new CEB GM, ending one of the darkest periods in the 52 years of the CEB, which posed a serious challenge to the rule of law, ethics, and the dignity of the institution. This is a crucial juncture in the struggle, but it is clear that this is not the end of the struggle,” the CEBEU said on the evening of 25 January. The National People’s Power Leader and Parliamentarian Anura Kumara Dissanayake tabled the aforementioned agreement in Parliament on 10 December 2021, which shows that the deal was signed between the GoSL and NFE Sri Lanka Power Holdings Limited Liability Company (LLC). A copy of this shows that Ferdinando and Perera have signed as the first and second witnesses on behalf of the GoSL. Ven. Elle Gunawansa Thera, Colombo Archbishop His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith, Samagi Jana Balawegaya General Secretary Ranjith Madduma Bandara, and some office bearers of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna, and other parties, including the CEBEU and the Federation of National Organisations, have filed petitions against the Government’s decision to hand over 40% of the shares of the Yugadanavi Power Plant to the NFE, along with a monopoly over supplying LNG. Accusations had earlier been levelled at the CEBEU for deliberately causing the islandwide power outage that occurred on 3 December 2021, amidst their ongoing trade union action against the aforementioned agreement.


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