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Misappropriation tops Rs 22 b at CPC

Power and Energy Minister Karu Jayasuriya promised Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) workers that a committee would soon be appointed to investigate massive frauds involving the CPC, addressing employees while on an inspection of the CPC Colombo Terminal at Kolonnawa yesterday. The committee would be appointed in conformity with the law he said.

He said over Rs. 22 billion in public funds which would have been enough to complete the Kandy-Colombo highway or provide the fertiliser subsidy to farmers for two years, had been misappropriated.

"Although we have vowed not to talk about the past, we must find who is responsible for the present state of the CPC in order to punish those who misused corporation funds and property."

Minister Jayasuriya said that when the CPC was handed over to the PA government in 1994 it was earning millions of rupees in profit.

Yet, he requested all workers to shed party politics and other differences to help steer the corporation out of its crisis.

"We have competitors in the field now. Therefore, to survive we must earn profits. All I request of you is to be determined and work the honest eight hours of the day," he said.

He promised an independent administration without political interference within the institutions and corporations under his Ministry.

Deputy Power and Energy Minister Sagala Ratnayake said, discipline and efficiency must be re-established within the CPC. The co-operation of all workers was necessary to achieve this goal.

The new Chairman of the CPC Daham Wimalasena and the Deputy General Manager Sarath Vithana joined the Minister on the inspection tour.

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