The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) United Trade Union (TU) Alliance will engage in an islandwide protest from 12 noon today (29).
The trade union action is being staged to urge the Government to immediately suspend the agreement with US-based energy company New Fortress Energy Inc over the Yugadanavi liquefied natural gas (LNG) Power Plant in Kerawalapitiya.
The Government has signed an agreement on the sale of 40% of the shares held by Sri Lanka in the Yugadanavi liquefied natural gas (LNG) Power Plant to New Fortress Energy Inc.
CEB United Trade Union Alliance Convenor Ranjan Jayalal said that the trade union action will be launched at 12 noon today, while the Alliance is also set to sign a petition and hand it over to the CEB during this period.
Jayalal said if the agreement is not suspended before the 3rd of November, then they will engage in trade union action.
He added that the Government will be responsible for the country being thrown into darkness after that.
The trade union action is being launched after the CEB United Trade Union Alliance had held a meeting with 11 constituent parties of the Government on Tuesday (26) over the Yugadanavi deal. The 11 constituent parties of the Government had agreed to engage in trade union actions simultaneous to that of the CEB United Trade Union Alliance.
This move comes after President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had earlier rejected requests by the parties regarding the matter. However, it has been reported that the President has called for a meeting with the alliance party leaders at the Temple Trees to discuss the Yugadanavi deal.
Writ petitions have also been filed at the Supreme and Appeal Courts over the deal by the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), the Samagi Jana Balawegeya (SJB), the Archbishop of Colombo His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith, Ven. Elle Gunawansa Thera, and the Federation of National Organisations.
Meanwhile, the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) announced this week that the Government is set to receive a $ 250 million inflow from the partial divestment of the Yugadanavi Power Plant to New Fortress Energy Inc. and that the first tranche of the same is expected in November and December 2021. (NewsWire)