Power Cuts during A/L exam period draws widespread condemnation

COLOMBO (News 1st) -  Although the government assured that there will be no power cuts during the period of the G. C. E. Advanced Level examination, the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka had granted approval for two-hour power cuts on Tuesday (24).

The power outages for Tuesday (24) will be forty minutes during the day, and one hour and twenty minutes at night.

At the media briefing to announce cabinet decisions on the 17th of January, Minister Bandula Gunawardena elaborated on the plan to provide a continuous supply of electricity during the period of the G. C. E. Advanced Level examination.

"The Minister (Energy) was told to provide a continuous supply of electricity during the 14-days that the examination will take place. He assured of a continuous supply of electricity during the examination period. However, we need to source Rs. 5 Billion, which is Rs. 357 Million per day. That is the issue in power generation," said the Cabinet Spokesperson on that day.

Although the Minister spoke of assuring a continuous supply of electricity, a power outage of two-hours will be in effect, despite requests being made by the Education Minister to provide relief to the Advanced Level students sitting for the examination.

The Ceylon Electricity Board said that it will have to continue with daily power outages due to the high generation cost, and the shortage of funds.

However, the Public Utilities Commission said that it made recommendations to the Ceylon Electricity Board to not proceed with power outages during the period of the A/L examination.

The Chairman of the PUCSL Janaka Ratnayake told News 1st that the CEB had informed them that they are unable to execute those recommendations.

The Chairman of the PUCSL said that it is the responsibility of the Ceylon Electricity Board to discuss with all the relevant stakeholders for a continuous supply of electricity to ensure that the examination, which is of national importance and decides the future of the younger generation, is held successfully without any interruption.

The National Bhikku Front alleges that the power outages are yet another ploy to delay the elections.

The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka in a statement said that the children will be deprived of the Right to Equality enshrined in the constitution due to power outages.

It added that the power outages would also hinder the right to education.

Chairman of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka, retired Supreme Court Judge Rohini Marasinghe, has instructed to take the necessary measures to ensure there are no power cuts during the period of the Advanced Level Examination.

Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa in a statement requested to put an end to the power cuts that are putting the children's future in darkness.

He says that it is an arbitrary and rude decision to suspend the supply of electricity even on the first day of the Advanced Level Examination.

The opposition leader has also mentioned that such a decision does not come as a surprise because he understands the nature of the government.

He points out that one can imagine how anti-people the government is if it is unable to provide electricity even during the crucial Advanced Level examination that decides the future of hundreds of thousands of children in the country.