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A leading Chamber representative called upon the Government last week to implement a strategy to supply uninterrupted power at a reasonable price structure for industries.

A senior member of the Ceylon National Chamber of Industries (CNCI) Newton Wickramasuriya said that frequent changes in cost of power affect almost every industry in the country.

"The country's economic development is largely dependent on the success of the industrial sector. Power and energy is substantial in the production process. Other than raw material power is the most expensive utility. It is a general utility required by every industrialist in various production sectors. Therefore, a price structure in the power sector is a necessity," he told the Daily News in an interview, explaining the difficulties faced by the industrialists in the country due to present power crisis.

Wickramasuriya is also a corresponding member of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers UK and past president of the Institution of Engineers Sri Lanka.

At present there is uncertainty in the power and energy sector. Industrialists are unable to gauge what the price of power would be in time to come. Therefore, investors are reluctant to make large investments due to this uncertainty. Under such circumstances the country cannot expect economic development, he said.

The government and the relevant authorities should build confidence in investors by announcing concrete long-term plans for the sector.

Power should be available at a competitive price, which is in line with the international structure. Local investors should target the international market and compete with international competitors. Therefore it is the duty of the government to ensure that industrialists are not compelled to pay higher charges for power. They should realise that the industry does not want to pay a premium price for energy, Wickramasuriya said.

The Ceylon National Chamber of Industries (CNCI) is the premier industrial chamber in Sri Lanka. The main objectives of the CNCI are to promote and foster industrial growth in Sri Lanka, represent and express industrial, commercial and economic matters and the opinions of the industrial community.

The main objective of the chamber is to be a mediator between the government and industrialists, identify difficulties faced by industrialists in relation to power and energy and inform the government and relevant authorities. The power and Energy committee which comes under the supervision of the chamber of industries does not advise comprise specialists in the sector and does not the government to take action. The duty is to 'raise a voice' on behalf of industrialists in the country and represent their interest.

Wickramasuriya suggested that a definite long-term plan be implemented to generate power. "The business community believes that the coal power generation is the most economical and cheapest method. Not only the business community, but also the government agrees that coal power is the answer to the power crisis."

However, the government has so far failed to bring in a clear-cut solution to overcome the power crisis. The country appears to be confident of an emergency power supply, but unable to think what would happen if the war breaks out or diesel prices go up," he said.

The government should take substantial measures and realise that there is a delay in taking action, he said.

(CNK)

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