Allegations of ‘Diesel Mafia” in CEB with claims that union officers no longer in office

“Decisions taken after Aug. 31 null and void”

by Ifham Nizam

Sections of the CEB Engineers Union (CEBEU) have amid rumbles of a blackout over the New Fortress Energy (NFE) deal say that all decisions taken by the President and Executive Committee of the CEBEU since August 31 are null and void because their mandate to hold office has already expired, CEB sources said.

They said no AGM had been held this year as required by the union constitution despite ample opportunity to hold one. It requires the union president and other officers including the executive committee to organize the meeting, where a quorum of a third of the membership is required, to elect office bearers and consider other matters brought up with due notice. This had not been done and with Aug. 31 already past, the previous office bearers are no longer properly in office.

They allege that “now, some key people in the CEBEU, which is a trade union of professionals, have fallen into the pockets of the diesel Mafia and are doing their bidding under cover of the union to safeguard and protect their personal agendas by opposing and delaying many projects,’’ an engineer said.

The failure to hold the AGM in time has been brought up in the context of the NFE deal opposed by many engineers.

Opponents of decisions taken by the current office bearers say that the affairs of a union of professionals are being conducted in an unprofessional manner. It was not clear whether dissidents will challenge decision taken by outgoing office bearers in court.