‘Another power tariff hike will be last nail in the coffin of small industries’

By Sujeewa Thathsara

Many small industries will collapse due to the government’s decision to increase electricity tariffs head of the National Construction Association of Sri Lanka (NCASL) Susantha Liyanaarachchi told journalists in Colombo.

“This will also affect the construction industry. The industry is already on the verge of collapse, and the next tariff hike will be the last nail in its coffin,” he said.

Only big companies from India, China and Singapore would be able to bid for large projects in Sri Lanka, Liyanaarachchi said.

“This will also benefit politicians because they can get commissions,” he said.

Tania Abeysundara, Chairperson of Sri Lanka United National Businesses Alliance (SLUNBA), said that politicians who lived off taxpayer money did not understand the difficulties faced by Sri Lankans.

“Most of the companies will close down with another big electricity tariff hike. This will put many people out of work. Given the current business climate, a big hike in electricity tariff is a blow we can’t take,” she said.

She said that they had warned the government that around 4.5 million Sri Lankans employed in the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) might lose their jobs in the coming months unless the government stepped in and assisted businesses.

“Instead of helping us, they are making things difficult,” she said.