The government began the New Year by giving an electric shock to the masses – Tilvin Silva
THURSDAY, 18 APRIL 2013
The government that was marking time making up various stories regarding increasing the electricity tariff, finally increased the electricity tariff with effect from the 12th. The government continued to say that electricity tariff would be increased in a manner that would not burden the masses. The President wished masses for the new year. Everything was done according to auspicious times and the government commenced work for the New Year by increasing the electricity tariff. As such this year cannot be an auspicious one for the masses.
This was stated by the General Secretary of the JVP Tilvin Silva at the special media conference held at the head office of the party at Pelawatta today (18th).
Speaking further Mr. Tilvin Silva said, "Increasing electricity tariff cannot be considered a simple matter. The government increased prices of a large number of essential commodities. Now electricity tariff has been increased. The government also deceived the people. When the present Minister of Power and Energy Ms. Pavithra Wanniarachchi assumed duties she said Norochcholai would not be given to China nor would the electricity tariff increased. However, the government continued with the process of increasing the electricity tariff. A day was assigned for the Public Utilities Commission to receive public complaints regarding increasing electricity tariffs. However, electricity tariff was increased without considering the public opinion.
If the Public Utilities Commission had considered public opinion it should have not allowed electricity tariff to be increased. For, 95% of the people who presented views to the Commission said not to increase electricity tariffs. However, the tariff was increased in the manner the Ceylon Electricity Board wanted. The people were deceived. This shows that the Public Utilities Commission is a useless institution.
There is a serious issue within the increase in electricity tariffs. It is the poor that is mostly affected by this increase. The policy of the government was to consume electricity frugally. Accordingly, it is the poor that used electricity frugally. However, it is this sector that has been severely burdened. The tariff for consumption of electricity between units 1 to 30 has been raised from Rs.3.00 to Rs.5.00. The monthly fee and the fuel adjustment charge of 25% are added to this. Collecting fuel adjustment charge from the poor who use only three or four bulbs per family is very unfair.
The government increased the electricity tariff according to a new system this time. The increase for 1 to 30 is Rs.5.00, 31 to 60 is Rs.6.00 and 61 to 90 is Rs.8.50. However, when the consumers exceed 30 units they have to pay at the rate of Rs.6.00 for all the units. Earlier the system was that first 30 were calculated at Rs.3.00 and the number of units exceeding this limit was calculated at Rs.4.70. As such the increase is one that is unbearable. There are 800,000 consumers in the 1 to 30 category, 1.3 million in the 31 to 60 category and 1.2 million in the 61 to 90 category. As such, the number of consumers that consume up to 90 units is 3.3 million.
According to the increase a consumer using 90 units per month has to pay Rs. 1197 (90 x Rs.8.50 + fixed fee of Rs.90.00 + fuel adjustment charge 40%). A consumer using 91 units has to pay Rs. 2352 (91 x Rs.15 + fixed fee of Rs.315 + fuel adjustment charge of 40%) The consumer has to pay Rs. 1155 for the increase of one unit! Isn't this very unfair? This is how the government follows a system of exploiting masses. This shows that the system has never considered the plight of the masses. The government has adopted a system that burdens the consumer who uses fewer units but gives relief to those who use up more units. This is an arbitrary increase that burdens the middle class but gives concessions to the upper classes.
Why did the government have to increase electricity tariffs in this manner? The government states Ceylon Electricity Board incurs losses. However, when the government obtained loans it promised to adhere to conditions of the IMF and the World Bank.
The last budget was presented after these pledges were given. The government promised to create a price formula based on costs for its services. When Champika was the Minister of Power and Energy on 21st January he said a price formula was necessary for fuel and electricity. This indicates that a price formula had been proposed for state services. This is why the increase in electricity tariffs is presented to the Public Utilities Commission. It is this Commission that prepares a formula considering the costs. However, this time the Public Utilities Commission accepted the CEB proposal.
The second reason is the colossal frauds and waste that exists in the CEB. It is not the people but Rajapaksa regime and the Minister of Power and Energy that are responsible for the losses of the CEB. However, it is the people who are burdened. The Public Utilities Commission had instructed the CEB to reduce its expenditure by 40%. This shows the amount of unnecessary expenditure at the CEB. Also, the CEB bought electricity from 4 private power stations that Public Utilities Commission had rejected. Rs.13000 million was spent for this. Electricity could have been bought cheaper from Kelanitissa power station. However, electricity is bought from private power stations to get commissions for various individuals. The wrong policies of the government too are responsible for the losses. People were made to have high hopes regarding Norochcholai power station. However, it has broken down for the 14th time. The power station built with a large loan from China has incurred losses in billions. Now installments and interests are being paid for a power station that doesn't generate electricity. Also, there are serious issues regarding the use of vehicles of the CEB. Certain officials use 3 to 4 vehicles. They use CEB vehicles for their domestic purposes as well.
Meanwhile, the government spent millions on a propaganda campaign. They appealed to the masses to save electricity by switching off one bulb. However, large scale waste of electricity occurs in Temple trees and residences of ministers and government Parliamentarians. For, they do not pay any electricity bills. The government also wastes large amount of electricity to have its pageants. Cricket is played at night wasting a large amount of electricity in the country where the sun shines throughout the year. The government should stop mass scale wasting of electricity. The government doesn't take any measures to stop waste and doesn't increase the tariff of those who waste electricity either.
This is an arbitrary government that doesn’t consider the plight of the masses. Mahinda Rajapaksa talks of the rate of the economic growth. However, prices of commodities go up at a rate. The income or salaries of masses do not go up in the country that is said to be developing. This is a government that shows pageants to the world but burdens the masses.
A liter of petrol was increased by Rs.15.00 on 15th December, 2012. On 5th January, 2013 the price of a gas cylinder was increased by Rs.150. Now the electricity tariff has been increased. Increasing the prices of power and energy affects the masses drastically. Now there is talk about a 15% increase in bus fares from July. When people have pawned whatever they possessed to celebrate the New Year and are unable to pay back their debts the government has increased the electricity tariff.
The government will continue its trend of burdening the masses if the masses do not do anything to defeat government's moves. This government is not scared of the masses; it is not responsible for the people. The government has control over the Parliament as well as the judiciary. The government that welds power thinks the people will vote for it whatever they do. As such, 4.4 million consumers of electricity must rise up against the arbitrary increase in electricity tariffs. They should take to the streets demanding to withdraw the unjust increase. This state could be defeated only by people's actions against the government. We ask the masses not to accept the increase in electricity tariffs. We ask the people to take to the streets against the increase in electricity tariffs.
This is not a government that genuinely represents the masses. Hence, this government should be defeated. We call upon the masses to support not only a struggle to bring down the prices of electricity tariffs but also the government that doesn't have any regard for the people's wishes.
Responding to questions posed by journalists Mr. Tilvin Silva said the Public Utilities Commission is not a useful institution. It doesn't accept people's views. It is merely an institution created to provide jobs for supporters. Such institutions created to give jobs for Mahinda Rajapaksa's friends would never consider views of the masses.
The government is preparing to amend the electricity act. Laws are to be included so that independent states could be given the right to generate and transmit electricity. As such, the government will hand over or sell power stations such as Norochcholai and Sampoor to countries like China and India.
The IGP has rejected the incident regarding Army presence at Matale mass grave. However, there is information that such an incident had taken place. The government attempts to terrorize people in Matale. We told the government that commissions were useless but to take a judiciary process. However, the committee proposed by the President doesn't have any members. There is no judiciary process either. We are definite about taking legal action regarding the incident.
The Member of the Central Committee of the JVP Lakshman Nipunarachchi too was present.
