Justice Minister orders investigation into allegation that Thilini was sexually harassed in prison – The Island

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…compare it to what happened to Russia with Gorbachev’s reforms

By Saman Indrajith

Samagi Jana Balavegaya MP Patali Champika Ranawaka told parliament yesterday that the government’s plans to restructure the Ceylon Electricity Board would definitely lead to disaster.

“These privatization plans, if allowed, would have the same consequences as the economic reforms in Russia under Mikhail Gorbachev,” Ranawaka said.

Ranawaka, an electrical engineer, said that according to a recent Cabinet decision, the CEB would be divided into 18 companies and some of its work would be given to four other companies. “This decision will have disastrous consequences. And the privatization of reservoirs will make it difficult for people to access drinking and agricultural water, as most water sources will be operated by private companies in the name of electricity generation,” he said. .

Ranawaka said a commission report had been issued on the proposed division of the CEB and its affiliated bodies into 18 corporations and four institutions. The Cabinet had approved this report. The CEB would be broken down into 22 institutions. This will mean the dissolution of the CEB. Electricity production would be entrusted to six main companies. The first would take over hydroelectric generation from the Kelani River, including Lakshapahana, Maussakelle, Canyon and Broadland. The second will take over the Mahaweli complex comprising Kotmale, Victoria, Randenigala and Polgolla. A third company would be created at the Samanalawewa complex and CEB-owned factories there. The fourth would be the coal-fired power complex of Lakvijaya power plant in Puttalam, the CEB thermal plants of Kelanitissa and Sapugaskanda would be taken over by the fifth and the sixth would be the wind power plant at Mannar, Ranawaka said.

Ranawaka said people should not allow the waters of Kelani or Mahaweli rivers to be privatized as it would deprive many provinces of drinking water. The first priority of private companies would be the production of electricity. What if they couldn’t provide water to Colombo or any of those places?

“The most dangerous thing about this is the privatization of hydropower. The public should not let this happen because we are done paying for the Laxapana Power Station based on the Kelani River, and we are done paying for the Mahaweli Power Stations. The government has no right to sell them. These are peoples assets. The privatization of these resources will pose a serious threat to national security,” Ranawaka said, adding that the dissolution of the CEB is similar to Gorbachev’s dissolution of Soviet Russia.

Ranawaka said that the issue of the CEB’s restructuring would be taken up by the Parliament’s Economic Stabilization Committee under his leadership and that international experts had been invited to attend the Committee on December 13. He urged all MPs to attend the session and see the danger of the government’s decision.

Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera said the restructuring of the CEB was accepted by all as a necessity. “It had to be done to gain efficiency. Without increasing efficiency, it is impossible to control electricity prices.

Minister Wijesekera accused Ranawaka of misleading the House.

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