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Ratwatte
condemns CPC privatisation "Although Treasury pundits advise and the government tries to sell one-third or fourth of the Corporation, ultimately the oil monopoly and the country will be ruled by the buyer country. The whole country will be 'played out' by them.", criticised the former Minister, at a CPC ceremony he attended as the chief guest, early this week in Colombo. The ceremony was to grant permanent appointments to 450 CPC employees recruited during Mr. Ratwatte's tenure. He appealed to the present Minister Susil Premajayantha to first apprise the Cabinet that the Corporation should be a service-oriented, not profit oriented one. Minister Susil Premajayantha said the Government would lose if it privatised the CPC in the manner proposed by the previous Government. "The Corporation can earn in one year, even more than the amount (US$ 175 million) gained by privatisation if the proposals by the trade union is implemented. An attitude change is needed." Mr. Premajayantha said. The comments by the former and present Ministers were in the wake of moves by the Finance Minister to sell 49 per cent shares of the remaining CPC filling stations. CPC employees have demanded a meeting with President Kumaratunga calling for a halting to the proposed plans. |
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