Trade unionists shouldn’t take people hostage to fulfil political aspirations: Johnston

There cannot be corruption if electricity tariffs become less

By Yohan Perera

It is unfair for trade unionists to take people hostage and deprive them of electricity for two days in order to fulfil their political aspirations, Chief Government Whip Highways Minister Johnston Fernando said.

Responding to journalists’ queries during an inspection tour to observe the finalising of the work of New Kelani Bridge which is to be vested with people this month, the Minister said that the trade unionists have mixed some of their professional grievances with political agendas of the parties they belong to. “People should understand that these unionists actually are engaged in politics in the guise of winning solutions for the problems. We can recall how they opposed the Eastern Terminal Development Project of the Colombo Port a few months back. Sri Lanka had to give away the Western Terminal which is larger and could have been more profitable. Trade unions have a national responsibility. Whenever there is a threat to national interests, they should give priority to them over their political agendas,” the minister said.

“The unions attached to Ceylon Electricity Board have threatened to discontinue services in the power over the Kerawalapitiya power plant project which could help people to obtain electricity for a lesser price. There cannot be corruption if electricity tariffs become less. They try to deprive people of the chance of getting electricity cheaper,” he said.

• The unions attached to Ceylon Electricity Board have threatened to discontinue services in the power over the Kerawalapitiya power plant project which could help people to obtain electricity for a lesser price