Opposition MP Ravi Karunanayake has urged the government to swiftly resolve the ongoing crisis surrounding the restructuring of the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB), warning that delays could negatively impact the public.
In a statement, Karunanayake alleged that the restructuring process has run into difficulty, particularly regarding employees who opted for voluntary retirement but have been unable to leave the institution as planned. He said the government must urgently address the matter to prevent further complications.
He cautioned that the crisis would not only affect CEB employees but also the institution itself and the wider Sri Lankan population. According to him, previous attempts to restructure the CEB in 2001 and again in 2017 were unsuccessful due to prevailing political circumstances.
Karunanayake noted that the CEB currently employs around 27,000 permanent staff and 3,000 temporary workers, stressing that uncertainty surrounding the restructuring could have widespread consequences.
Under the Electricity Amendment Bill approved by Parliament in August last year, the CEB is to be divided into four state-owned companies as part of the reform process.
