News

Several irregularities at Ports Authority revealed during COPE meeting

Published

2 years ago

September 7, 2023

editor

The Sri Lanka Port Authority was called before the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) which met on Sep. 09, 2023 Chaired by Prof. Ranjith Bandara, Member of Parliament.

The Auditor General’s report for the year 2021 and the current performance were examined and the Secretary of Ministry of Ports, Naval and Aviation Services Mr. K. D. S. Ruwanchandra, Chairman of Sri Lanka Ports Authority Mr. Keith D. Bernard and a group of officials were summoned before this Committee. Moreover, on June 22nd, 2022, when the Sri Lanka Port Authority was summoned before COPE, the progress of implementing the recommendations was also examined.

Attention was drawn to the following points.

Proposal to COPE within 3 months

The COPE Chair Prof. Ranjith Bandara recommended that 3 proposals pertaining to revenue enhancement, cost management and efficiency enhancement of Sri Lanka Ports Authority be submitted to COPE. The Chair recommended that the Port Authority will be summoned before COPE on the 8th of December. The 3 proposals should be submitted to the COPE the Chair further said.

Non-payment of money to be credited to the Consolidated Fund from 2016 – 2021

The financial results of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority in the past few years were taken into discussion. The Committee questioned the officials present regarding the non-payment of 4.975 million rupees of the profit earned by the Sri Lanka Ports Authority from the year 2016 to the year 2021 which was to be credited to the Consolidated Fund.

Report on purchase of cranes

Contract entered into for purchase of 12 oversize cranes and 40 automatic gantry cranes to maximize operational capacity at East Terminal

COPE questioned the officials regarding not making amendments to the contract of the USD 282.56 million reached with the contractor to purchase 12 large cranes and 40 automatic gantry cranes to maximize the operational capacity of the eastern terminal. The Members of Parliament present pointed out that this was also discussed when the Sri Lanka Port Authority was summoned before COPE on June 22nd, 2022.

The officials present mentioned that contracts were reached on the said in the year 2021 and despite the issuance of Letter of Credit (LC) by the Bank of Ceylon, these payments could not be made due to the prevailing situation in the country. The COPE Chair mentioned that due to the non-amendment of this contract, legal issues may arise in the future. Also, operational cost has been spent for this. As a result, COPE recommended to give a report on this said within a month.

Reduction in container handling capacity

COPE pointed out that according to the reports of the Auditor General, it is observed that the container handling capacity of Sri Lanka Port Authority of the Colombo Port has decreased from 81% to 28% by 2022.

Furthermore, the Members of the Committee present pointed out that the western terminal has been working to increase the income through the activities of private investors. As a result, COPE pointed out that the ability to compete with the private sector should be also be created.

The Committee was also questioned regarding the preparation of the comprehensive plan for the next 5 years. According to this, the officials pointed out that 50% of the comprehensive plans prepared for the next 5 years have been completed. The officials further agreed to present this plan to the Committee when the Authority is called before COPE again.

Decrease in the arrival of naval vessels at the ports of Colombo, Galle and Trinco

COPE also drew attention to the decrease in the arrival of naval vessels at the ports of Colombo, Galle and Trincomalee from the year 2018 to the year 2022.

COPE also questioned the non-arrival of even a single ship at the port of Kankasanthura from the year 2020.

The officials pointed out that though there was a decrease in the year 2022, it is getting better now. The officials mentioned that the ports other than the Colombo port were used to import raw materials such as cement and the reason for this was the decrease in the import of these raw materials during the past period.

Thus, the Committee instructed to focus on further activation of the existing ports at the provincial level.

Suspension of plans to build multi-purpose terminal at Galle port

There was also a discussion about the plan to build a multi-purpose terminal at the Galle port and the fact that the project had to be suspended due to the 3-year delay in obtaining approval from UNESCO.

On March 28th, 2006, the Government of Sri Lanka and the Japan Bank for International Cooperation had signed a loan agreement in this regard and it was necessary to obtain the approval of the UNESCO organization to carry out the construction in connection with the Galle Fort, which was designated as a world heritage.

Given that this approval was not obtained for 3 years, it has been decided to suspend this project. But the Committee pointed out that the consultant fee of 418 million rupees spent for this purpose is observed as a net expense.

The officials pointed out that due to the priority being given to the development of Hambantota port, the priority on Galle port was reduced.

However, the officials mentioned that this money is not an idle expenditure as they hope to develop the Galle port as a tourist port in the future. The officials also mentioned that the Sri Lanka Port Authority has not been affiliated on the said matter.

Payment of OT despite excess employees

It was revealed that there are 914 excess employees in the Port Authority.

Given the context, COPE pointed out that overtime allowances have been given to the employees. COPE also pointed out that it is observed that money has been given as overtime allowances in the year 2021 as well.

Accordingly, COPE also instructed the Department of Management Services to pay attention to the excess number of employees and take necessary action. The Committee instructed to resolve the issue related to the number of employees when being summoned back before the Committee.

Failure to install CCTV, covering all gates and bonded Warehouse of SLPA

An inquiry was made regarding the non-installation of CCTV cameras covering all the gates and bonded Warehouse of the Sri Lanka Port Authority.

The officials present said that CCTV cameras will be gradually installed for the places necessary. The officials pointed out that 538 cameras have been installed so far and about 400 will be installed in the future.

The officials present said that they will install these CCTV cameras within 6 months.

Night Navigation system at Trinco port not functioning at its maximum

COPE also inquired about the Night Navigation system at Trincomalee port not functioning at its maximum.

Rs. 1.2 billion for food expenses in 2022

It was disclosed that 1.2 billion rupees have been spent on food for the year 2022. Accordingly, the Auditor General mentioned that 498 million rupees have been spent on snacks.

It was also decided to re-summon the Sri Lanka Port Authority on December 8th, 2023 to review the progress of these recommendations.

State Ministers Jagath Pushpakumara, Janaka Wakkumbura, Members of Parliament – Mahindananda Aluthgamage, Dayasiri Jayasekara, Rohitha Abegunawardhana, Eran Wickramaratne, S. M. Marikkar, Sanjeeva Edirimanna, Jagath Kumara Sumithraarachchi, Madhura Withanage and Prof. Charitha Herath were present at the Committee meeting held.

News

2nd phase of bidding for luxury vehicles from Prez Secretariat commences

Published

5 hours ago

May 9, 2025

editor

The second phase of bidding has commenced for the sale of 27 luxury and decommissioned vehicles from the Presidential Secretariat.

These vehicles, manufactured between 1991 and 2016, include a range of high-end and utility models: two BMW cars, two Ford Everest SUVs, one Hyundai Terracan SUV, two Land Rover SUVs, one Mitsubishi Montero, three Nissan petrol cars, two Nissan-type motor cars, one Porsche Cayenne, five SsangYong Rexton SUVs, one Land Cruiser Sahara SUV, six V08 vehicles and one Mitsubishi Rosa air-conditioned bus.

Tender documents are available from the Finance Division, located on the second floor of the Sema Building at the Presidential Secretariat, on working days between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. until 14th May. Interested parties may also inspect the vehicles at the Salusala premises, No. 93, Jawatta Road, up to the same date.

This auction follows the successful first phase of the programme, during which 14 luxury vehicles, six decommissioned vehicles and various spare parts were sold. That phase included the auction of 15 vehicles, including nine Defender Jeeps. The initiative reflects the government’s ongoing commitment to reducing public expenditure and ensuring fiscal discipline.

It is important to note that the vehicles on offer were not allocated to the permanent staff of the Presidential Secretariat. They were utilised by advisors and other individuals appointed under Article 41(1) of the Constitution during the tenure of the previous President.

The official notice regarding this auction is shown below :

Notice – English Download

(President’s Media Division)

News

IPL suspended for a week over safety concerns

Published

5 hours ago

May 9, 2025

editor

The Indian Premier League has been suspended for one week amid the ongoing tensions between India and neighbouring Pakistan.

Overnight, India accused Pakistan of attacking three of its military bases with drones and missiles, a claim which Islamabad denied.

Pakistani authorities say 31 people have been killed and 57 injured by Indian air strikes in the country and Pakistan-administered Kashmir since Wednesday morning.

Twenty-six civilians were killed in Indian-administered Kashmir last month and India has accused Pakistan of supporting militants behind the attack – an allegation the neighbouring country has rejected.

The situation escalated on Tuesday evening when India launched a series of strikes in a move named “Operation Sindoor”.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said: “The decision was taken by the IPL Governing Council after due consultation with all key stakeholders following the representations from most of the franchisees, who conveyed the concern and sentiments of their players, and also the views of the broadcaster, sponsors and fans.

“While the BCCI reposes full faith in the strength and preparedness of our armed forces, the Board considered it prudent to act in the collective interest of all stakeholders.”

On Thursday, the IPL match between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals in Dharamsala was abandoned mid-match because of floodlight failure, with players, staff and media set to be evacuated from the city, which lies close to the contested region of Kashmir.

Later on the same day, the remaining matches in the Pakistan Super League were moved to the United Arab Emirates.

The IPL, the richest franchise T20 league in the world, had been set to run until 23 May, with 16 games left to be played.

“Further updates regarding the new schedule and venues of the tournament will be announced in due course after a comprehensive assessment of the situation in consultation with relevant authorities and stakeholders,” said the BCCI.

There are 10 England players – past and present – involved in this year’s tournament. They include former white-ball captain Jos Buttler, fast bowler Jofra Archer and all-rounder Jacob Bethell.

IPL matches have been staged outside India before, with the 2009 edition held in South Africa following an attack on the Sri Lankan national side in Lahore in Pakistan, while the 2020 and second half of the 2021 seasons were staged in the United Arab Emirates during the Covid-19 pandemic.

(BBC News)

News

First capacity-building program under NCGG – SLIDA MoU concludes successfully

Published

8 hours ago

May 9, 2025

editor

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the National Centre for Good Governance of India (NCGG) and Sri Lanka Institute of Development Administration (SLIDA) was signed during the State Visit of President of Sri Lanka, H.E. Anura Kumara Disanayaka to India in December 2024 for training and capacity building of 1500 Sri Lankan civil service officers over a period of five years.

The first program under the MoU was successfully held at NCGG from 21 April to 02 May 2025, and was attended by 41 officers. Based on the request of the Government of Sri Lanka, the theme of the program was ‘digitization in governance’. The program featured a series of sessions focused on key areas such as digital service delivery, digital public infrastructure, financial inclusion through digital payments, and innovations in public grievance redressal systems. Senior officials and domain experts delivered presentations on flagship Indian initiatives in the digital domain, including Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, e-Office, GeM, Aadhaar, PM Gati Shakti, among others.

At an interaction session with participants in the inaugural program organized on 08 May 2025 at SLIDA, the High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka, H.E. Santosh Jha underscored that capacity building is an important pillar of the development cooperation between the two countries, with Sri Lanka being among the largest recipients of scholarships and capacity building initiatives offered by India. He highlighted that, demonstrating India’s continued commitment to enhancing capacity-building opportunities for Sri Lankans, Prime Minister of India had announced additional training avenues to 700 Sri Lankan citizens annually during his recent State visit. In that context, the High Commissioner said that the participants in the first NCGG-SLIDA programme also represented the first set of Sri Lankan nationals to receive training as part of the significantly enhanced capacity-building endeavour of India that will now benefit 1000 Sri Lankans annually.

The interaction session was also attended by Secretary, Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government, Mr S. Aloka Bandara; Director General of SLIDA, Mr A.V. Janadara; senior officials and faculty members of SLIDA; among others.

In view of the highly positive feedback from the participants in the inaugural NCGG-SLIDA program, based on request from SLIDA, a second program on the same theme under the MoU is now being planned for another batch of around 40 officers for early June 2025.