The appointment is to be made with the direct mediation of commerce and industries minister Risath Badurdeen, say CWE sources.

Suppliers are against Lakmanasinghe, as they had not been paid Rs. 350 million due to them from Sathosa Retail Ltd. during 2002-04, when he was its general manager.

He is accused as one of the key figures in the privatization of the CWE, which has made the employees oppose him.

A top official of the CWE warehouse managers union told SLM that such persons were being appointed in order to sell the institution to Cargills Ltd.

Cargills has suspended its plan to open its sales outlets at railway stations due to opposition from the CWE.