By Paulo Loreto Lim

After reports earlier this month exposed a conflict between the Central Negros Electric Cooperative, Inc. (Ceneco) board and management on the scheduling of a referendum, Ceneco President Arnel Lapore revealed yesterday it has been postponed.
“We will move the referendum to future dates, either September or November,” he said.
The Ceneco board originally planned the referendum during the upcoming Annual General Membership Assembly (AGMA) on April 30. However, Ceneco General Manager Sulpicio Lagarde, Jr. claimed combining the two events may be against the rules.
“We cannot see any possible reason for the referendum and AGMA to be enjoined because it is not feasible and we may be violating some rules,” he explained.
Lagarde added, if the referendum is held and rules are broken, the entire process could be deemed null and void.
Lapore said the co-op will spend time informing consumer-members about the referendum itself.
“We will continue to educate the consumers,” Lapore added.
The referendum stems from a 2014 memorandum to all electric cooperatives nationwide, which poses the question to consumer-members if their co-op should operate as a non-stock, non-profit cooperative under the National Electrification Administration (NEA); a stock cooperative under the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA); or a stock corporation under the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)./WDJ