Electricity and Energy Minister Mr. Kanchana Wijesekera says that despite protests by the trade unions, the Electricity Board and the Petroleum Corporation will continue to restructure.
“Petroleum Corporation unions have protested the proposed restructuring plans. They have been informed about the plans before this. The right to protest will not be challenged, but both the petroleum and electricity sectors should be restructured and the necessary activities will be continued for that purpose. The minister further emphasized.
Last June (28th) the Cabinet approved the cabinet paper presented by the Minister of Power and Energy, Kanchana Wijesekera, to give the necessary approval to the institutions and companies capable of importing and distributing fuel to Sri Lanka.
On the 2nd of July, the minister had called all the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation trade union representatives and discussed the relevant cabinet paper.
They were told by the minister that the refinery will not be privatized but will be improved.
A newspaper advertisement was published on July 26, asking institutions and companies interested in importing and distributing fuel to Sri Lanka to submit their proposals.
On August 5th, Minister Kanchana Wijesekera announced to the media 8 reasons that have contributed to the loss of the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation.
A committee was appointed to monitor the companies that have proposed to import and distribute fuel to Sri Lanka, and the committee met Minister Kanchana Wijesekara for the first time on August 5.
Meanwhile, a protest organized by the Petroleum Trade Unions against the foreignization of petroleum business under the title ‘Save National Resources’ will be held tomorrow (22) at 1 pm in front of the Ministry of Petroleum.
