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Hidden foreign hand behind strike
Are foreign interests behind the strike by petroleum workers at the CPC facility at Kolonnawa to ensure a third player is not picked? The lightning strike that crippled supply and distribution forcing long queues at fuel stations in Colombo, has perplexed government authorities and even a few former CPC officials and the conspiracy theory is now doing the rounds.

“There is a theory that some interested parties do not want a third player so that the current two-party position would be retained,” said a top government official, who declined to be named. “Otherwise the strike doesn’t make any sense as it was well known that a third player would be brought in. On the other hand, we have not even proceeded with any kind of negotiations to finalise any deal – for workers to get agitated,” he said.

Other sources said that, in an unconnected move, the Power and Energy Ministry has written to the Attorney General seeking advice on whether the IOC deal with the government could be cancelled. It was unclear when this letter was sent to the AG or whether it was done at the behest of some unions.

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