Kanchana Wijesekera has instructed the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) to stop paying bonuses and allowances to its employees.
In a letter to the CEB chairman, general manager, and directors of the board, Wijesekera said that the decision was made in order to reduce the cost of operations and administration. He added that the 25% salary increment paid every 3 years since 2015 should also not be continued.
Wijesekera also requested a report on the 21 various allowances and incentives paid to CEB officials, the amounts paid in 2023, how they are paid, the number of vehicles rented and allocated to each CEB official, and the amounts paid as rental.
The minister's decision has been met with mixed reactions. Some people have welcomed the move, saying that it is necessary to reduce the CEB's costs.
The CEB is a state-owned enterprise that is responsible for generating, transmitting, and distributing electricity in Sri Lanka. The company has been struggling financially in recent years, due to a number of factors, including the rising cost of fuel and the decline of the Sri Lankan rupee.
The Sri Lankan government is currently in the process of negotiating a bailout package with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The IMF has called for the CEB to undertake a number of reforms, including reducing its costs and improving its efficiency.
Wijesekera's decision to halt bonuses and allowances is an attempt to address the CEB's financial problems. The Sri Lankan government is also working to reform the CEB.
