There are serious errors in recent public statements made by Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna General Secretary Tilvin Silva regarding Sri Lanka’s coal crisis, according to Frontline Socialist Party Education Secretary Pubudu Jayagoda. Speaking at a media briefing held yesterday (05), Jayagoda challenged the accuracy and consistency of comments made by Silva during an interview on a state television channel, saying they misrepresented key facts about coal procurement for the Lakvijaya Power Plant.
Jayagoda said several of the claims repeated by the JVP General Secretary had previously been made by the Minister of Power and Energy but were later withdrawn after being proven false. He argued that the repetition of these claims showed that Silva was not up to date on the issue, noting that the minister had not presented any new or revised information that would justify the statements being made now.
One of the central claims disputed by Jayagoda was the allegation that coal had been purchased at inflated prices from a company linked to a politician without calling for tenders. He rejected this assertion, stating that since the commissioning of the Lakvijaya Power Plant in 2008, coal procurement has followed an annual tender process, with contracts awarded to the lowest bidder each year.
Jayagoda also addressed claims that no tender had been called in 2023, a position he said was initially promoted by both the JVP General Secretary and the Minister of Power and Energy. According to him, this claim was abandoned by the minister after tender notices were produced to demonstrate that the process had in fact taken place. He added that the minister has since argued that tender specifications from 2023 were maintained without changes, a claim Jayagoda said was also incorrect.
Pointing to contradictions in the statements made by senior figures, Jayagoda questioned how tender specifications could have been published in 2023 if, as claimed by Silva, no tender had been called that year. He said these inconsistencies showed a failure by the JVP leadership to properly verify or update the facts before addressing the public on a matter of national importance.
Jayagoda concluded that inaccurate statements on the coal crisis not only mislead the public but also undermine serious discussion on energy policy at a time when Sri Lanka continues to face deep challenges in its power sector.
