Conspiracy plot by a Group of Tamils at KKS Cement (True Story)
Kanthar Balanathan
I joined Ceylon Cement and was posted to KKS cement, commencing from 17th August 1969. I had to be the head of the Maintenance, sub-station and Instrument divisions since 1971. An engineer (Tamil) from a different corporation was posted to KKS for specialised training for a small duration. He was asked to report to me. Well, I allocated work but he did not show any progress. In 1974 I applied for my IEE Charter, and I was called for an interview to Colombo. During the interview the first question by the panel was; where do I work. When I answered, they stated that they interviewed another engineer two weeks before, and that he said that he is the one who was the head of the electrical department at KKS. I answered that I was the only cement engineer, and it could be verified from the GM/AGM of Cement. The professional interview went on for about two hours. I returned to my work place, and in about two weeks’ time I was called by the AGM in Colombo. The AGM (Sinhala) said that he was asked to comment on the staff by IEE. He said that he confirmed that I was the only Cement engineer at KKS. When I came back, I was told that the wrongdoer engineer had left without telling anyone. I then investigated and found out that the Chief Engineer (Tamil), who hailed from Tellipalai, the same place as SJV Chelvanayagam, had supported the application of the outside engineer, and a prominent senior figure from Colombo (Tamil) had been the first proposer. However, I received my Charter status and was promoted to the position of Works Engineer (Electrical) in 1975.
Comment: The Chief Engineer (Balakrishnan) at KKS cement was an incompetent nincompoop Tamil engineer, who sleeps during meetings, discussions, and in his closed door office and snores. I had, at various time have told him about his incompetency. Before I left cement in 1977, I had to tell that he was a stupid, incompetent nincompoop, who signed an application of a wrongdoer. This a typical conspiracy of group of Tamils in Jaffna against their own people. I survived because at that time the top management and administration staff who dealt with my case was Sinhala people, and, justice and Human Rights, was maintained. If it was by only Tamil elites then, my life would have been destroyed. Tamils should be aware of this please. All this conspiracy was to bring the outsider as the Works engineer (Electrical), I was told. Oh! What a hypocrisy, two-facedness, and pretence by our own Jaffna Tamil people.
Honesty, Integrity and justice of the IEE, UK, and the Cement top management staff was seen and prevailed.