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| Tuesday, 8 January 2002 |
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I write with regards to the announcement made by the Minister of Power and Energy of the newly appointed Government, that a solution to the current power crisis will be made within the next 180 days and that the public is asked to bear with the Minister and that there will be no power cuts thereafter. Although we have heard such promises before, we are much encouraged with the swiftness and speed in which the minister entered and addressed the current electricity. However, it is regretted to note that once again the new Ministry in being guided by the same old logic and practices advocated by the CEB higher engineers who have been the originators of the misguided generation planning that crippled the last government's efforts in addressing a proper solution. In misguiding the previous government the CEB chief in charge of planning required priority to be placed on diesel generation that has led to the current power crisis. While qualified and knowledgeable engineers at the CEB were allocated menial responsibilities, the devious power planners set to work in making generation plans with vested interests. The very insistence that generation planning should be based on the use of diesel, opposed to the pursuit of coal, dislodged the importance and priority that was placed with regards to coal. These advocates who were engaged as the heads of the CEB who were responsible for the purchase of the first Gas Turbine sets at Kelanitissa that led to the first power cuts in this country and to the subsequent purchase by the CEB of diesel Generators for the Sapugaskanda 80 MW Power Station from the same company that recently supplied the ill-fated Locomotives to the Railways, are now once again engaged as top brass within the Ministry of Power and Energy. With the top administrative position at the CEB being occupied by the very same person who was prior to occupying such important position engaged himself in the preparing plans that led to the CEB committing itself depending heavily on diesel to generate electricity. This in turn suppresses the development of a coal power station resulting in the CEB spending its entire income in purchasing diesel from the CPC. The result of such activity is reflected in the finial figures of the CEB that were announced by the Minister that shows a deficit of 11 Billion Rupees. It is curious to note that such a deficit represent almost half the cost of a coal power station. Long-term generation planning within the CEB was deliberately based on the installation of gas turbines advocated as a quick fix to meet the increase in power demand. While the CEB failed to advertise internationally to purchase gas turbines the very same power planners compiled a short list of favoured suppliers and restricted quotations to a selected few manufacturers. Although the inquiries were based on the installation of two or more machines a manipulation at the CEB's such planning engineer resulted in the purchase of redundant gas turbine manufactured by the famous Italian car carmaker, Fiat. This machine with an unplanned capacity of 115 MW was oversized for the distribution system at that time. Fortunately for the CEB system, and quite unfortunately for us the consumers this gas turbine has malfunctioned whenever it was operated. This machine which it is said was designed to operate on gas and had a mechanical deficiency was palmed off to the CEB and the efforts of the power station engineers to have this machine running required additional funds of the CEB to be utilised adding to the Rs. 11 Billion overdraft currently at the CEB. While this gas turbine was inaugurated by Her Excellency The President in August 1997 this machine has failed to generate electricity to its rated output. Not been satisfied with one failure the long-term generation plan of the CEB was manipulated to accommodate the installation of two more gas turbines based power projects under the proposed 150 MW combined cycle plants of which the first plant was commissioned just prior to the last general election. The fuel bills for operating this machine is yet to impact on the Rs. 11 Billion loss announced by the Minister. What is seen by the consumer is that in spite of commissioning such costly installations we are still left in the dark and subjected to on-going power cuts. Under the same generating plans the second combined cycle plant with a capacity of 150 MW is now being erected and is expected to be commissioned within the coming year. This development it is said would produce electricity once again with the burning of expensive diesel and by next Christmas we could expect the Minister to make an announcement that Rs. 11 Billion loss at the CEB could have increased to more than Rs. 20 Billion. While we who are interested in the development of our Motherland is fully aware through newspaper reports and TV programs that a Australian company has offered to build a coal power station by investing their own money. Why are the CEB and the Ministry unaware of this? Where were these solutions when the last government faced a power crisis? Weren't the same old planners responsible under the last regime? While fools may rush in with quick fix power plans not only angels but the government too should exercise caution so that they would not be led on the same garden path that the last government took. Before implementing plans it would be in order to replace not only the CEB Chairman and the Board but to get rid of the so-called top executives who have been the root causes of the CEBs downfall. We believe that the Minister who is widely respected for his efficiency and integrity and has proven experience in running organisations would be able to scrutinise and assess the hollow plans now presented by the planners who have taken maximum opportunity to further their vested interests. D. H. JAYASEKERA-Wattala Searching for a new and improved Prozac I read with much interest the above titled article in the "Newsweek" of December 31, 2001 January 7, 2002. The article states that Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil and the rest boost the effects of Serotonin, a chemical that brain cells (neurons use to exchange signals. Over thirty years ago I read an article in the "Sun" Newspaper, titled "Feeling blue eat a banana" which stated that bananas contain Serotonin which was an anti-depressant. I was mildly depressed in the mornings from my teens and on reading this article I commenced eating bananas (called plantations in Asia ) daily and specially in the mornings. In a year's time I was cured and to date I have never been depressed. Of course continue to eat bananas (plantains) daily. Perhaps Sri Lankan scientists will comment. LIONEL J. SENEVIRATNE-Mount Lavinia Please remove this minor irritation The Kollupitiya Police Station is only a few yards away from Temple Trees the official residence of the former President and the current Prime Minister. The law requires that all police stations in the country carry easily visible identification boards in all 3 languages. Sadly a simple Tamil person - without any knowledge of English or Sinhalese - will find it difficult to transact business with the Kollupitiya Police - who seem to have decided that Tamils are now an extinct race and their language therefore needs no more be considered - at least as far as their Police area is concerned. Their old board as well as their brand new board opposite the station has decidedly excluded Tamil. The writer brought this matter to the notice of a former Commissioner of Official Language while he was in charge and was told the needful would be done soon. Though somewhat a minor matter it certainly causes pain to the Tamil mind - already besieged with a long list of grievances. I am sure the IGP is a decent gentleman and the new UNF Government more so to set this right pronto. K. Arvind-Colombo 3. The Election Commissioner, Dayananda Dissanayake, by holding the December 2001 general elections without fear of favour had earned the appreciation of the voters of all the political parties. His address to the nation on the television after the final election results were published was thoughtful and emotive too. He was deeply concerned about a couple of senior politicians of a political party who attempted to degrade his honesty for the impartiality of executing his duties and responsibilities. Though he thanked all those who assisted him in numerous ways to conduct this election successfully, except for a few incidents which were beyond his control, he showed his special gratitude to his staff in no small manner. He really felt the need of setting up the Election Commission as he was able to comprehend the sinister motives of those who were in power. Let us hope that the new Government would give its priority in creating this Commissioner. It should not fail to appoint the incumbent veteran election commissioner to head the Election Commission. Nazly Cassim-Colombo 1.
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