DINULI FRANCISCO
COLOMBO : Power Minister Gamini Lokuge stated that the Yugadanavi LNG power plant in Kerawalapitiya is used by the JVP as a political tool and in reality there is no threat from handing over shares to the American Company.
He added that despite the Unions’ attempts to strike, claiming a power cut for 72 hours, the working class has intelligently addressed the issue and the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) employees are continuously supplying electricity as usual.
Addressing the media at SLPP headquarters on Wednesday. he said that only the JVP affiliated Trade Unions are protesting against the shares given to the American company. “Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) engineers, technical engineers, electricians and workers of all sections have understood the real situation behind the façade created by JVP and have chosen to supply continuous electricity.
The JVP is trying to lead the country to the ‘dark’. They have been doing that for decades and they are responsible for destroying the majority of the transformers in the history,” Lokuge added.
He also added that the JVP is creating a scene as if electricity of the whole country has been put into the hands of America. “In reality, the Yugadanavi LNG power plant in Kerawalapitiya only has around five percent of power to supply electricity. 40% of the shares were handed over to the American company expecting benefits. The JVP is creating issues as if all the power plants in the country have been sold to America. Anyhow by 2035, the government will have the entire ownership of Yugadanavi LNG power plant in Kerawalapitiya”, the Minister highlighted. Minister Gamini Lokuge added that Opposition leader Sajith Premadasa is only capable of provoking people at crucial junctures instead of supporting the development of the country. “Sajith Premadasa is speaking highly about selling off national resources, yet I would question him about what he was doing when the Hambantota port deal was done. It is a shame that he was also from the Hambantota district,” he added. Lokuge said the government has been capable of receiving vaccines in excess of the required amount and has been able to administer the booster dose to the frontline workers as well. “We should be proud as a country because booster doses are only used by very few countries at the moment. Yet due to the leadership of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa we are on par with developed countries in vaccination programmes,” he highlighted.
MP Madura Vithanage said the government has come a long way when compared to the situation where the country was when the SLPP government took over. “Party leaders were called and the LNG deal was done in a transparent way including all the views in the agreement. Considering the matters that need to be done fast when the government implements them and expressing different opinions outside is not ethical,” he added.
