Unions oppose
privatization of filling stations
Trade unions in the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation
(CPC) have urged Petroleum Minister A.H.M.Fowzie to acquire one-third
of the CPC shares held by the Treasury instead of planning to give
them over to a private company.
On Thursday trade union representatives met with Minister Fowzie
to urge him to acquire one-third of the CPC shares - 100 filling
stations - immediately instead of waiting until 2008 when the agreement
with the Treasury lapses. JVP trade union president in the CPC Lakshman
Ananda told The Sunday Times that his union was aware of discussions
between the minister and private petroleum dealers to go ahead with
privatization plans.Last week Minister Fowzie told The Sunday Times
that the Government had decided to transfer 100 sheds owned by it
to a private company to be set up.
However Petroleum Ministry Secretary .P.A. Gunasekara reacting to
the news item said that the Ministry has not decided to privatize
any of the filling stations owned by the CPC and the minister denied
his own statement.
Elaborating on his plans Minister Fowzie last week said the Government
wanted to avert the third player coming into the country and the
IOC taking control of more sheds. Petroleum Dealers’ Association
members confirmed to The Sunday Times that they had discussed with
the Ministry and his Secretary about plans to privatize the CPC
shares. Association administrative secretary Asoka Mallawarachchi
told The Sunday Times three meetings were held with the minister
and among other issues discussed was the proposal on privatizing
the sheds.
“We told the minister that we are the most eligible persons
to operate the private company”, he said.
Trade union representatives told the minister that if plans to privatize
the sheds are carried out they would launch a trade union campaign.
Minister Fowzie said he would be submitting a report on the issue
to the Cabinet sub-committee which was appointed earlier to decide
on the issue about introducing the third player.
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