The Hon. Shanakiyan Rajaputhiran Rasamanickam

¶ 01 Sir, can I have a couple of extra minutes?

¶ 02 Hon. Minister, please pay attention to this matter. The responsibility is in your hands. Through this, you can avert an electricity crisis and get an opportunity to reduce the electricity tariff. When supply increases, we can reduce tariffs. You told the people you would reduce electricity bills by 33 per cent. This is one method to help achieve that 33 per cent reduction.

¶ 03 Next, I want to speak about the oil tanks in Trincomalee. As with the energy crisis, we also faced a fuel crisis. In my view, a tripartite MoU has been signed to develop Trincomalee as an energy hub between the UAE, India and Sri Lanka. There are four components: a pipeline, bunkering, a refinery, and the development of the oil tank farm. Now, the President and the Government can discuss this. India purchases 4.4 million barrels a day. When India purchases 4.4 million barrels per day, by building connectivity via a pipeline we can create a mechanism to reduce Sri Lanka’s fuel price through volume advantages. As we all know, when you buy 1,000 chairs versus 10 chairs, the per-unit price changes. Likewise, if India buys large volumes through a pipeline, we can craft a method to reduce domestic fuel prices. However, we should revisit whether we need a third refinery. If we list Sapugaskanda, Hambantota, and Trincomalee as places to refine crude oil locally, not even one of the three functions properly. It may be more beneficial to bring oil through a pipeline at a lower cost. By developing the Trincomalee Oil Tank Farm, we can bunker and hold the quantities we need.

¶ 04 If there is an emergency in the country, this tank capacity will ensure your Government can keep the country stable without an energy or fuel struggle. I urge your ruling party to intervene constructively on this.

¶ 05 Our people need not fear India; rather, India must be concerned about us, because Sri Lanka’s location has a major impact on India’s security. Our State Minister of Defence is here. An unstable Sri Lanka affects India. We are not of the view that Sri Lanka should be destabilized or plunged into crises. By building the refinery if needed, or the pipeline, or the grid interconnection, we are not seeking to upend the existing power and energy sector. We are proposing to add an additional, complementary layer.

¶ 06 Hon. Minister, similarly, about the wind turbines promised during elections: Before the Presidential and Parliamentary Elections, a pledge was given to the people of Mannar in the Northern Province that no new wind turbines would be authorized there. But after this Government came, people strongly protested against the wind turbines. Ultimately, against the wishes of the residents, clergy and civil society, the President said: “We will install 14 wind turbines, and we will not do anything beyond that.” The Northern MPs of the NPP who represent the area must also answer to the people, because saying the people consented to these 14 turbines is false. Without any alternative, did you tell the people that unless thousands came to Colombo to protest at Galle Face you would accept the 14 turbines? I am doubtful. In any case, there is considerable concern among the local people about installing all 14 turbines in Mannar.

¶ 07 Hon. Minister, install a wind turbine near your home and listen to the noise from morning to evening. Only then will you understand the impact. Putting such turbines in densely populated residential areas will harm daily life. There are more issues as well. People have not accepted these 14 turbines. Even if you use Executive powers to say “this is our decision,” you should not increase the number beyond that.

¶ 08 Finally, in Batticaloa District, many households who have permits for solar panels cannot fix them because there are no power lines over long distances in many areas. People are told to pay themselves for the line extensions. I request your consideration on both issues: household solar connections and the two matters I raised on grid management and fuel supply. I look forward to your response. Thank you.