CEB Engineers say perks to remain despite reforms

• Perks enjoyed by CEB employees, including employment security, employee benefits, the Employees’ Trust Fund and the pension scheme will not be affected

By Kalani Kumarasinghe  

Perks enjoyed by the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) employees are to remain, despite the ongoing reform process, according to a group of senior engineers of the Board. Ajith Withanage of the CEB Senior Engineers’ Association said that the Power and Energy Minister made these assurances, following discussions on reforming the CEB.   

 “The Minister assured that perks enjoyed by CEB employees, including employment security, employee benefits, the Employees’ Trust Fund and the pension scheme will not be affected through the reform process,” he said.  

Addressing a media briefing senior engineers of the state-run CEB said that it can no longer function on the present model it operates on, which has been in existence for over 50 years. Traditionally trade unions have acted to sabotage every energy project brought to Sri Lanka, with many groups opposing new power plants, Spokesman of the CEB Senior Engineers Association Nandika Pathirage said.   

“This can’t go on for long. That is why we have chosen to intervene and it is fortunate that a group of people who can understand the issue are in power,” he said, adding that the subject minister Kanchana Wijesekara discussed the issues openly and was attentive to their proposals.   

“There have been false reports that this entity is up for sale. But in reality, reforms are for a competitive energy market to be created. This process will take at least two to three years. The benefits of a competitive market will be for the consumer. Additionally, there will be no need to take permission from trade unions to build new power plants,” he said.