September 23, Colombo (LNW): Former Minister of Power and Energy, Kanchana Wijesekara, has announced his resignation, highlighting his achievements in stabilising Sri Lanka’s energy sector.
In his parting statement, Wijesekara emphasised that he has left the Ministry of Power and Energy and its affiliated institutions in a stronger financial position.
He returned the state vehicles and relinquished his office on the final day of his tenure.
Wijesekara noted that, when he assumed office, Sri Lanka was grappling with severe challenges: power cuts ranging from 4 to 13 hours, a critical shortage of fuel and coal, and a lack of suppliers. The country was facing an energy crisis with no cash reserves and limited hydroelectric capacity.
Today, however, the former minister proudly announced that the energy sector has enough stocks of petroleum and coal to meet demand, while hydroelectric capacity has also improved. This transformation has been crucial in providing an uninterrupted supply of fuel and electricity.
One of Wijesekara’s significant achievements is the financial recovery of the institutions under his purview. According to him, all relevant bodies are now operating with positive balance sheets, recovering the costs of services, paying suppliers on time, and servicing debt.
Furthermore, these institutions are generating additional revenue, which is being contributed to the national treasury. The financial turnaround of these entities has been seen as a key component of the country’s recovery.
In his statement, Wijesekara expressed gratitude to former President Ranil Wickremesinghe, colleagues, family, and other key stakeholders for their support throughout his tenure.
He further acknowledged the assistance provided by diplomatic missions, development agencies, and various private and government entities over the last two years, which helped restore the country’s energy infrastructure.
