CEB senior engineers ask Chairman to honour Appeal Court decision, appointing Ranatunga GM temporarily

The Ceylon Electricity Board Senior Engineers’ Association (CEBSEA) has written to the CEB Chairman asking him to reappoint Eng. M.R. Ranatunga as General Manager, on a temporary basis in keeping with a Court of Appeal decision.

Eng. A. L. Z. Hussain, Joint Secretary of the CEBSEA has said the Court of Appeal on 12 January gave interim relief regarding continuation of Service of Eng. M. R. Ranatunga as General Manager, CEB.

The Court directed the CEB to appoint a Temporary General Manager for CEB until 25 March 2022, when the case is going to be heard again.

“There was no bar whatsoever for Ranatunga to continue on a temporary basis, as General Manager until the court heard and determined the main case … and therefore, there was no need at all for the court to make reference to Mr. Ranatunga’s retirement, as the court clearly contemplated the possibility of Mr. Ranatunga continuing as GM, but on a temporary basis,” the Joint Secretary of the CEBSEA has said.

Hussain has also said that CEBSEA has been fully supportive of and committed to the betterment of the CEB and it will extend its fullest corporation to the government to implement the major projects in the national interest.

“Taking any decision to appoint a different person as General Manager will undermine and disturb the continuation of the CEB day-to-day functions. Therefore, as per the Appeal Court interim decision, we strongly believe- that you will take the appropriate decision to re-appoint Eng. M.R. Ranatunga as General Manager on a Temporary basis,” he has said