By Rathindra Kuruwita<\/p>\n
The Ceylon Electricity Board Engineers\u2019 Union (CEBEU) had called off its work-to-rule campaign but it would not cooperate with the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL), CEBEU President Saumya Kumarawadu told The Island yesterday.<\/p>\n
The CEBEU Executive Committee that met this week decided to call off the work-to-rule campaign after the\u00a0Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka had approved the CEB\u2019s base case plan \u2018subject to the accommodation of already Cabinet approved “government to government power plants” and the “latest government \u2018policy\u2019.<\/p>\n
“However, we will not cooperate with the PUCSL because we feel that some of the officials there are unprofessional and are attempting to thwart what the CEB is trying to do. When there are power cuts you will see the results of their action.\u00a0The tenure of the PUCSL is to end shortly. We hope they appoint independent\u00a0and professional individuals the next time.”The\u00a0CEBEU has been demanding the removal of the PUCSL\u00a0Director General, Damitha Kumarasinghe since May.<\/p>\n
Executive Director of Campaign for Free and Fair Elections Keerthi Tennakoon criticised the CEBEU\u2019s attempts to remove\u00a0Kumarasinghe\u00a0from his post.<\/p>\n
“PUCSL is the regulator of the energy sector. The CEBEU, which is a part of the sector, can\u2019t threaten the government to get rid of\u00a0Kumarasinghe. One reason is that PUCSL is an independent\u00a0commission and if a trade union can get its members fired, that will give a bad precedence. The other\u00a0reason is that neither the President\u00a0nor the Prime Minister can remove\u00a0Kumarasinghe, only the PUCSL commissioners can remove him.”<\/p>\n