Ravi K says his policy regarding power purchasing has not changed

Colombo (News1st): Minister Ravi Karunanayake and Non-cabinet Minister Harsha De Silva made several remarks regarding the crisis in the power sector in the country. Journalists today (Jan 26) questioned Minister Karunanayake as to why he changed his principles because it was clear that back when he was the finance minister he suggested that the government should purchase the private power stations and not on a rental basis. Responding to this question he noted that nothing has changed as he still follows the same policy. He noted that there will be no problem if they implemented what he suggested four years earlier. He added that the Finance Ministry earned a profit that year and afterwards nothing was implemented. Then he was questioned regarding the unusually long tenure of  Suren Batagoda as the Secretary to the Ministry. Minister Ravi Karunanayake said that in his opinion he [Suren Batagoda] excels in his field. Meanwhile, the Non-Cabinet Minister of Economic Reforms and Public Distribution Dr Harsha De Silva expressed his views on the power crisis in the country following a function held in Nugegoda this morning (Jan 26). Dr Harsh De Silva said one group of people say that coal power plants are necessary and another says that it is unnecessary and that seems to be the problem here. He noted that the media have depicted the damage caused by the Norochcholai Power Plant to the people living in those areas. He said the country should use LNG, Solar or wind power instead of coal, but some engineers at the Ceylon Electricity Board and others connected it that say they only want coal. He noted that this divide in opinion has lead to delays in implementation adding that whenever steps are taken to implement alternative energy sources, these persons launch strikes or engage in activities to hinder such programmes.