M.C. Ferdinando has reportedly resigned from his post as the Chairman of the Ceylon Electricity Board.

Speaking recently to the Committee on Public Enterprises (CoPE) Ferdinando had alleged that the proposed Wind Power Plant project was being handed over to the Indian company ADANI without calling in for procurement due to the pressure exerted on him by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa based on what he described as an influence by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The ex-CEB Chairman had later withdrawn his comment, apologising for his actions.

MIAP

Asanka Priyanath Jayasuriya has been appointed as the new Chairperson of the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation (Jathika Rupavahini) and Ganaka Amarasinghe has been appointed as the new Chairperson of the Independent Television Network (ITN).

Meanwhile, Hudson Samarasinghe has been reappointed as the Chairperson of the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC).

Below are the board of directors responding to each state-run media agencies.

MIAP

Muditha Peiris has been appointed as the new Chairman of the LITRO Gas Company.

Accordingly, Peiris is set to assume duties as the state-run gas company’s new chairman on Wednesday (15).

MIAP

The entire workers’ pool at the LITRO Gas Company wishes the return of Muditha Peiris as its Chairman, said Programmes and Advertising Manager Piyal Colombahettige, speaking to a briefing yesterday (12).

“By now we have learned that the Prime Minister and Mr. Sagala Ratnayake have proposed a name Muditha Peiris is the leader who handed over the company to those [former] chairmen with a savings of Rs. 20 billion in 2019. Mr. Muditha Peiris who, as far as I know, was the person who managed the company well by generating revenue to the government and serving the people of the country. During his tenure, the shipping and insurance charges were only US $136 per tonne. He slashed it to US $48. He sold gas for Rs. 1396. Arguments can be made based on exchange rates, but in those days gas was sold for Rs. 1396. Not only that, he handed over Rs. 50 billion to the Treasury and saved Rs. 21 billion.

So, we felt freshened up as Mr. Muditha Peiris’s name was nominated. As per my knowledge, the entire workers’ pool of LITRO is expecting his arrival. Because in the end, Peiris was the only person who took dividends from the four former chairmen and saved money for the country. Not only that, remember, during Mr. Muditha Peiris’s tenure, we, the LITRO Gas Company, were able to aid 1000 schools in Sri Lanka. He built 1000 labs, aided 150 monastery schools.

He was able to supply a gas cooker with accessories for free per every purchase of cylinder for two hundred and fifty thousand people who could not initially afford gas consumption in Sri Lanka. He increased the gas market in Sri Lanka up to two million. He had a good vision about eradicating respiratory difficulties. He felt the need of improving the quality of life of people by visiting every village. Therefore, we urge the Prime Minister and the other authorities to bring him back. It is not too late. We are ready to welcome him.”

MIAP

The shortage of dollars in the country did not act as the sole contributory factor to the drop of supply in the LITRO Gas Company, for the inefficient and shallow administration carried out by its chairmen for the past two years also contributed to the crisis, disclosed Piyal Colombahettige, the Programmes and Advertising Manager of LITRO, speaking to a briefing yesterday (12).

“What happened to LITRO? Let me explain. LITRO is a company that had Rs. 20 billion of savings in 2019. Not only that, it is a company that raised Rs. 50 billion of welfare for the Treasury as a state-run body. Today, we are in a Rs. 10 billion debt, notwithstanding the repaying of money for that ship. Not only that, as the company’s financial situation has dropped to zero, we have been given a bank guarantee of Rs. 06 billion. A company that had been earning a huge profit became an indebted company before the world. As of now, about 04 million customers are in dire straits,” Colombahettige said.

He added: “Sri Lanka has a dollar problem. But what affected LITRO was not this dollar problem alone. There has been the impact of the dollar problem to some extent, but the main reason was the short-sighted administration for the last two years. We are a small LPG vending company in the oceanic region. We are supplied by a company that supplies more than 2 million metric tonnes of gas per month. Are we even near of influencing a company of that capacity? All we did was annoy the best gas supplier in the region. This happened behind these shifting chairmen passing the ball. It is in this foolish decision has the gas supply cut off today.”

The LITRO Advertising Manager went on: “Three chairmen were replaced this year. What did these three do? One calling the other mafia, passing the ball, no chairman was there to import gas, but they went on urging the public to use wood. Mr. Anil Koswatte came in for a short period of time and he did not manage it properly, so he left. Then came Theshara Jayasinghe. Just in, he stroke the former chairman accusing him of being involved in a mafia. Theshara was the chairman who failed to deliver a single gas ship in the history of the company. He put on some media showoffs. After he left, Vijitha Herath came in. He too followed the same old method, annoyed the best gas supplier in the region, failed to manage the finances and left in the end. So, we have to say today, that may a strong leader come to this company; an experienced one!”

MIAP

Large-scale rice mill owners currently are creating an organised rice shortage in the market, divulged President of the United Rice Producers’ Association Mudith Perera, speaking to a briefing yesterday (12).

“Go to Polonnaruwa right now, and you will see that there are 75-100 lorries belonging to these large-scale rice mill owners queuing up at fuel stations every day. However, despite these vehicles being refilled at this rate, rice is not transported meeting the same. We are saying this with responsibility. They are deliberately creating a rice shortage in the market, according to a plan. Its purpose is to create a shortage of rice in the country with the intention of selling rice made of paddy purchased for Rs. 100 during the last season and for Rs. 60 – 70 the season before for higher prices. These large-scale mill owners currently have nearly 500,000 metric tonnes of paddy. The value of that stock is approximately Rs. 50 billion. Using that, rice can be produced for exactly 12 more months. The government knows about this, but will not take any action,” he alleged.

Therefore, declaring a maximum retail price for local rice serves no purpose, for a maximum retail price should be declared for imported rice as well, the Union Chief emphasised.

MIAP

Despite the switch in administration, what exists today is an extension of the fraudulent Rajapaksa regime, said Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa speaking at a discussion with a group of Social Media activists at the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Head Office yesterday (12).

The disclosure made by the Chairman of the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) at the Committee on Public Enterprises (CoPE) would be very serious and on whose pressure has he later withdrawn his comments must be disclosed, Premadasa noted.

The Opposition Leader questioned how such irresponsible statements are being made by M.M.C. Ferdinando the CEB Chairman, who had earlier claimed at the CoPE that the Wind Power Plant project was being handed over to the Indian company ADANI without calling in for procurement due to the insistence of President Rajapaksa based on what he had described as the ‘pressure’ exerted by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, later to be withdrawn saying that he had made such a comment due to tension.

Accordingly, the privileges of the people’s representatives and the people of the country were violated by the drama in which the CEB Chief was lying to cover up a truth he had earlier claimed, Premadasa emphasised.

He added that what is happening today as usual is oppression, theft and exploitation of the people in the extension of the Rajapaksa regime.

MIAP

Former Energy Minister Udaya Gammanpila speaking to a seminar in Colombo yesterday (12) said the whole country may become idle in the future unless the existing fuel stocks are properly managed.

“We have to answer the short-term question of the people who have been waiting in queues for fuel for days first. First we need to get enough fuel to meet the minimum requirement, at least for credit. The second is to use the available fuel sparingly and reduce consumption. To receive aid from India, the leaders should set an example and go for simple vehicles. Our ministers travel in huge fuel-burning cars and jeeps. First, the government should officially ban the use of vehicles above 2000 CC on the road. 40 hours a week are spend for work. May we make it 10 x 4 = 40 instead of 8 x 5 = 40. Make Friday a holiday. Then the cost of fuel will go down. Schools will have to do the same. Come to school one day, and online the next day. If the fuel is not managed the whole country may come to a standstill”

MIAP