Our ref: CEBEU/2024/Gen/ January 22, 2024

MEDIA RELEASE

To All Print, Electronic and Online Media

Dear Sir/ Madam,

On the Minister of Power & Energy’s Tweet on CEB Loan Interest Reimbursements

Ceylon Electricity Board Engineers' Union (CEBEU) wishes to clarify below another Tweet by
the present Minister of Power & Energy, Mr Kanchana Wijesekera where he shared with the
public a table of loans obtained by CEB employees and attempted to highlight that two-thirds of
interest paid on such loans (as he claims amounting to 12 billion) is being reimbursed by the
public through their electricity bills.

The Minister has once again attempted to generate public anger towards CEB and its staff in his
ongoing efforts to harass CEB staff to position himself as a hero in the eyes of the public for doing
so and to divert the attention from the hundreds of millions of US Dollar worth of non-
competitive, non-transparent, and non-transparent, and questionable energy procurements that
are being negotiated behind closed doors.

We need to inform the educated public in Sri Lanka that CEB staff, like other employees in both
public and private sector institutions, including LECO and PUCSL, do enjoy benefits beyond their
basic salary, including access to concessional loan schemes. While the Minister tries to highlight
that CEB only needs to pay its staff a meagre monthly salary and anything beyond that is
malpractice, we would like to remind the public that almost all government institutions,
including the Ministry of Power and Energy itself and state banks, departments, statutory
boards, and even private sector institutions provide various perks to their staff, including very
concessional loan facilities at interest rates of 4% and below. It is also noteworthy that there’s
no direct legal authority with the political appointees in either administrative or financial
matters of State Owned Enterprises.

Instead of providing housing loans using CEB's own funds at concessional interest rates, CEB has
implemented a scheme since 1984 wherein employees are required to obtain housing loans from
banks (initially only from state banks but later extended to approved private commercial banks),
with CEB reimbursing two-thirds of the interest portion paid. This approach is similar to other
institutions directly providing concessional loans to staff using their own funds. The scheme of
reimbursing only two-thirds of the interest has been considered more beneficial to CEB than
giving the entire loan using its funds, as it allows the organization to save funds for other
essential development purposes.

We urge the public to understand the ulterior motive behind this mud-slinging campaign
directed at CEB staff, especially as major sector reforms leading to privatization and divestiture
of state assets are on the horizon. We deplore the conduct of the present Minister, who is treating
our fellow CEB staff, individuals who have worked tirelessly under challenging conditions to
electrify the entire country and bring electricity to your doorsteps, as criminals and adversaries.
We also condemn his continuous harassment of CEB staff while hiding behind restraining orders
issued by courts, restricting CEB unions from engaging in trade union action due to the
declaration of essential services and prohibiting disclosure of information relevant to this public
institute to the very owners, the general public.

Thanking You,

Yours Faithfully,
CEYLON ELECTRICITY BOARD ENGINEERS’ UNION

Jt. Secretary, CEBEU