CPC unions all out to scuttle restructuring bid

By Rathindra Kuruwita

The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) trade unions yesterday (18) warned that they would go all out to end the political careers of those who would vote for the Petroleum Products (Special Provisions) Amendment Bill tabled in Parliament.

Most trade unions of the CPC were on strike yesterday although the government made the petroleum sector an essential service. Fuel was not distributed from Kolonnawa or Muthurajawela terminals.

President of the Petroleum Public Employees Union Asoka Ranwala said that the Petroleum Products (Special Provisions) Amendment Bill, if passed, would destroy the CPC.

Ranwala said that CPC unions had filed a case against the Bill, but the Minister of Power and Energy, Kanchana Wijesekera, had not even discussed the proposed amendments with them.

“The Minister seems to think that he can manage the power and energy sector with Twitter. The Bill will have serious consequences on the CPC and when one tries to make major changes to a strategic sector, all stakeholders must be consulted,” he said.

Meanwhile, SLPP Progressive Trade Unions National Centre held a demonstration at the Polduwa entrance to the Parliament, warning MPs not to vote for the act.

Head of the union, Bandula Saman Kumara, said that in the past 18 months successive line ministers and their acolytes have tried to convince the people that the CPC is making a loss due to the ‘high’ salaries and overtime.

“A lot of people say we should privatise the CPC. This is the result of a sustained campaign, which was started by Minister Udaya Gammanpila. The current minister is a master of misinformation. The government took steps to close the Sapugaskanda Oil Refinery. If it was functioning and if the government had imported quality crude oil, we could have minted money by selling jet fuel. In the early 2000s, they took bunkering away from the CPC. With this Act, they are trying to take away jet fuel from the CPC,” he said.

Kumara warned that if the petroleum sector became a monopoly of the private sector, the prices would rise drastically and the industries would collapse.

“We are a pro-SLPP union and we did a lot of work to bring the current government into power. However, they have become an embarrassment for everyone. We would like to warn the government, and Opposition MPs, that if you vote in favour of this Bll, we will not stop until your political careers are over,” he said.

Co-secretary of the union, Jayantha Pareigama said that following price revisions, the CPC had been making profits. In July, the CPC made 6.3 billion rupees in profit, he said,

“In August, the CPC earned two billion rupees in profit. In September, the profit was five billion. Why are you trying to privatize this? Is it because you have cut a deal with friends to make a quick buck?”