News - CEB reforms in cold room

The Government has decided to shelve the proposed Power Sector Reforms Bill which was scheduled to be presented to Parliament on Tuesday following strong opposition from the JVP.

The Bill which provides for the formation of public companies to manage the CEB was due to be taken up in Parliament on May 23, but at the Parliamentary Business Committee meeting held on Thursday to decide on Tuesday’s agenda, the Government had informed that it will not be taken up on that day.

A JVP spokesman told The Sunday Times that at a meeting with President Mahinda Rajapaksa party representatives had expressed their opposition to the presentation of the Bill and also said their trade unions were campaigning against the Bill.

“We are opposed to the structure of the public companies and features in the Bill which were also in the original Bill presented by the UNP during its regime,” the spokesman said.

He said the party was willing to further discuss the proposals.

The main objective of the electricity reforms Bill is to take over and discharge the functions of the CEB and the Lanka Electricity Company (LECO) by certain public companies to be incorporated for this purpose as well as repeal the existing CEB Act.

Despite the Government’s willingness to hold back the proposed Bill, the JVP led Lanka Viduli Sevaka Sangamaya said it was prepared to organize a strike at any moment when the Government attempts to present the Bill in Parliament.