Sri Lanka’s CEB chief under fire over contradictory statements to COPE

ECONOMYNEXT – Chairman of Sri Lanka’s Ceylon Electricity Board M M C Ferdinando has come under fire from the opposition after statements made to parliament’s Committee on Public Enterprises involving a renewable power deal with India’s Adani group.

Ferdinando initially told the COPE that there was intervention by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa over the Indian project.

After President Rajapaksa denied the allegation he reportedly withdrew the statement saying he was tired and hungry at the time the statement was made and he was mistaken.

Ferdinando was quoted by Sri Lanka’s Newsfirst Television as saying he was not pressured by anyone to withdraw the statement.

The Adani project is one of several which authorities were trying to approve without competitive tender.

Last week the government changed the governing law of state-run Ceylon Petroleum Corporation to end competitive tendering, as opposition protested it will lead to widespread procurement scams.

Opposition leader Sajith Premadasa said charged that making false statement to the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation was violation of parliamentary privilege and he hoped to bring it up in parliament.

“I will bring a proposal in parliament over the violation of priviledge,” Premadasa said. (Colombo/June12/2022)