A group of employees who opted for voluntary retirement following the restructuring of the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) claim that they have not yet received the compensation pledged to them.
According to the retirees’ association, although the government assured payment of compensation after the CEB’s dissolution on March 9, the payments have still not been made.
The group stated that the delay has resulted in a violation of their fundamental human rights, prompting them to submit a detailed letter to the Human Rights Commission. They noted that the lack of compensation has left them facing severe financial difficulties.
They also confirmed that a letter has been sent to Minister of Energy Kumara Jayakody regarding the issue.
Under the restructuring process, the CEB was divided into six companies, and employees who did not wish to continue were offered a voluntary retirement scheme with compensation of up to Rs. 5 million.
Nearly 2,000 employees applied for the scheme and officially retired after March 9.
However, the retirees allege that due to the failure to receive their compensation, they are now in a critical situation, struggling with financial burdens and even unable to celebrate the upcoming Sinhala and Tamil New Year with their families.
They further claimed that they have been unable to access their Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF), Employees’ Trust Fund (ETF), or gratuity payments since retirement, depriving them of their rightful financial security earned through years of service.
Additionally, retirees with 18 years of continuous service who qualify for pensions at the age of 55 stated that they are currently unable to access their legally entitled pensions.
The group also noted that they had informed the Deputy Minister of Energy, Arkam Ilyas about the issue. Although he had reportedly assured that at least part of the compensation would be paid before the New Year, no payments have been received so far.
When contacted, the Deputy Minister told Ada Derana that he had been informed of the issue and that officials had indicated the funds would be credited yesterday. However, he stated that he would provide further details after conducting proper inquiries.
Attempts to contact the Secretary to the Ministry of Energy, Udayanga Hemapala for comment were unsuccessful.
