CEB headless since mini cabinet reshuffle: Jayalal

One of the premier semi-government institutions in the country and a vital utility provider, the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) is headless as the Chairman, Deputy Chairman and Working Director had all resigned after the recent mini cabinet reshuffle while the Minister of Power and Energy is still to fill these vacancies, a source at the CEB said..

When the Daily Mirror inquired about the failure of the government to fill these important posts two weeks ago, Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga remarked, ‘We hope to appoint a board shortly.”

Former Chairman of the CEB, Prof. W. Abeywickrama, Deputy Chairman Anura Wijayapala and Working Director Pasan Gunasena tendered their resignations to the new subject Minister Pavithadevi Wanniarachchi, saying that they were taking this decision in order to ‘let her appoint a new board.’

Meanwhile, General Secretary of the CEB trade union, Ranjan Jayalal, told Daily Mirror that the CEB management

Minister Ranawaka is a highly qualified professional and he knew his job

was in a limbo and cannot take any decision. “I want to discuss several issues with the management but cannot do that as there was no one in the top management. There are several dozen board papers to be approved by the Board of Directors and if an emergency crops up there would be no one to take the responsibility,” Mr. Jayalal said.

He commended the job done by former Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka saying that the former subject minister had done a great job and took the CEB to a satisfactory position despite its heavy financial burdens. “Minister Ranawaka is a highly qualified professional and he knew his job. We may have had our differences with him but I must say that all the employees including engineers and the management were happy and content under him. The most important aspect of working under Minister Ranawaka was that no one at the CEB could hoodwink him as he knew the subject he was entrusted with,” Jayalal stressed.