Combined TU Alliance urges investigations into alleged irregularities

COLOMBO: The Harbour, Railway, Petroleum Electricity Combined Trade Unions Alliance has sent a memorandum to Power and Energy Minister W.D.J. Seneviratne requesting him to expedite investigations into alleged irregularities and corrupt deals committed by certain unscrupulous CEB employees which had caused a loss of Rs. 120 million to the CEB.

The memorandum signed by Alliance Convenor Sumathipala Manawadu said these irregularities had been committed by taking advantage of concessions given to the private sector to import generators in 2001. Even the auditor general and the Parliamentary Committee on Public Enterprises had revealed these irregularities and the officials responsible but legal action against them was getting delayed for some unseen reason the memorandum said.

The memorandum said the present crisis faced by the CEB was partly due to irregularities of this nature and the Minister in charge of the subject was duty bound to initiate action against them and punish those responsible irrespective of their position or affiliation to trade unions.

Allegations have also been made against officials of a Certain CEB trade union regarding these irregularities and it was an indignity to the entire membership of CEB trade unions. Therefore, it is the considered view of the alliance that the truth about these allegations should be revealed to the nation without any further delay as future to do so would drive this important institutions to a worse abyss.