Controversy over delay in granting relief to electricity consumers:

by Shamindra Ferdinando

Convener of the SJB’s trade union wing, Ananda Palitha, has said that the country expected President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s intervention to ensure that consumers received the immediate benefit of a downward electricity tariffs revision, which was long overdue.

Palitha told The Island that as NPP leader Dissanayake had assured the public in the run-up to the presidential election (21 Sept.) and, thereafter, an electricity tariff reduction, and the vast majority of electricity consumers had expected 30% to 35% downward tariff revision.

Palitha emphasised that it was up to President Dissanayake to prevent the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) from depriving consumers of relief. The President couldn’t go back on his election promise to reduce monthly electricity bills of Rs. 3,000 and Rs 6,000 by Rs. 1,000 and Rs. 3,000, respectively, Palitha said.

Asked whether the trade union intended to campaign for tariff reduction, Palitha said that they had taken the issue with Director General and Deputy Director General of the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) on 01 Nov. and subsequently written to President Dissanayake seeking his intervention.

The trade unionist said that in spite of the change of government the CEB seemed to be determined not to mend its ways. Having repeatedly assured the country of a much-touted system change, the ruling party must not allow the CEB to have its way in dealing with electricity consumers.

Palitha alleged that the CEB had deliberately delayed the submission of its tariff proposals to the PUCSL.

Responding to another question, Palitha said their trade union collective had received an opportunity to make a comprehensive presentation on behalf of electricity consumers to President Dissanayake’s senior aides at the Presidential Secretariat on 06 Dec.

“We explained how the top CEB management, particularly influential engineers, manipulated the whole pricing process to their advantage at the expense of the people struggling to make ends meet,” Palitha said, adding he hoped that the presidential aides had realized the gravity of the developing situation, particularly as within hours after their meeting the country was told anticipated tariff revision couldn’t be granted.

“How could the CEB declare that the tariff revision couldn’t be implemented after having offered 6% to 11% tariff reduction just a couple of weeks ago?” Palitha said. The incumbent political leadership couldn’t absolve itself of the responsibility for ensuring the CEB adhered to a Cabinet decision taken during the previous administration that there would be four tariff revisions yearly.

Palitha disclosed that the SJB trade unions had taken up with the President’s team Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe’s recent declaration that electricity consumers would be given a 30% tariff reduction over a period of three years whereas his leader had promised immediate relief.

Regardless of the CEB’s recommendations, the final decision in respect of electricity tariffs would be taken by the PUC, Palitha said, urging the NPP representatives to speak in one voice.

Palitha mentioned that both the government and the CEB owed an explanation to the public regarding the sudden declaration made by the latter that tariff reduction couldn’t be made as the government trade union leader at the CEB, Ranjan Jayalal, had disclosed on a live television debate the CEB earned Rs 62 bn profits in 2023 and so far Rs 142 bn this year. Jayalal made the declaration in support of his demand for thumping year-end bonuses for CEB employees, Palitha said, declaring providing relief to consumers should be the government’s priority.

Palitha said that Dissanayake who had been at the helm of the JVP since 2014 couldn’t be unaware how their union and other interested parties won their demands at the expense of not only the consumers but the entire country as well.

The SJB representative said that the country was yet to receive the benefit of the bulk of electricity being generated through hydro power.