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Kumudesh exposes commission vultures who rejected gift of gene sequencing machine
By Rathindra Kuruwita
Health officials, involved in an ADB project, rejected an offer from Beijing Genomic Institute (BGI), a Chinese company considered a world leader in genome sequencing, to provide a gene sequencing machine free of charge to the PCR testing laboratory at the Colombo East Base Hospital, Mulleriyawa, in late 2020, College of Medical Laboratory Science (CMLS) President, Ravi Kumudesh told The Island yesterday.
Kumudesh said that in November 2020, BGI, which had carried out several projects in Sri Lanka had offered to donate a gene sequencing machine worth USD 320,000 as a part of their commitment to assisting countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative.
“However, Health Ministry officials, including those in charge of an ADB project to enhance health systems in the country, ignored this offer because it did not provide them with an opportunity to pocket commissions. How can you get a cut if an expensive machines are given to us free of charge? Even now the Mulleriyawa lab doesn’t have a gene sequencing machine,” he said.
Kumudesh said that the lab at Mulleriyawa was to be made a molecular biology institute to offer personalised medicine in Sri Lanka. However, the lab was now conducting only a small number of PCR tests a day, Kumudesh said.
“The lab at Mulleriyawa was established at a stated cost of Rs. 250 million. The health officials claimed that Rs. 100 million had been spent on the building alone. Rs. 140 million was allegedly spent on reagents and related equipment, Rs. 90 million for PCR kits and Rs. 50 million for equipment,” Kumudesh said.
Kumudesh added that initially, reagents had been procured at around USD 15 per kit from BGI. However, this was purchased without the involvement of BGI’s local agent or the Deputy Director General – Laboratories or lab technologists.
“A few months later, when the cost of reagents reached an all-time high, Sri Lanka was able to procure reagents from BGI at half the cost. This purchase was made through BGI’s local agent. The Chinese company’s local agent then inspected the Mulleriyawa lab and said that a lot of improvements had to be made as per the protocols of BGI. The BGI’s local agent also highlighted that lab staff needed rest rooms, a place to change PPEs and lunch rooms inside the complex,” Kumudesh said.
Some officials involved in the ADB project then made it impossible for BGI’s local agent to do what was required of him. “After a while, the local agent lost interest and let the corrupt do as they pleased. The officials also threatened the local agent that they would cancel the contract and punish the agent in other ways,” Kumudesh said.
The CMLS President added that BGI had also offered free training for Sri Lankan staff on operating the equipment that used cutting-edge technology. Some senior officials in the ADB project had not taken up that offer due to a tiff with the Chinese company’s local agent.
“Thus, from the very beginning Sri Lanka was not able to make the best use of the machines at the lab. Even now a lot of test kits are past expiry dates. This comes as no surprise because some officials bought test kits to do 4,000 tests a day when only 500 tests were initially planned. So, the Health Ministry purchased too many test kits and our staff didn’t get the necessary training. Obviously, there has been a colossal waste of public funds,” Kumudesh said.
The CMLS President also pointed out that the Health System Enhancement Project (HSEP) was not an ADB grant. Sri Lanka had to pay back most of the money ADB had given it, he said,
“A lot of money has been wasted and we have lost the opportunity to convert this lab into a molecular biology institute. A lot of people claim that Chinese companies are corrupt but in fact it is our officials who are corrupt. We have been asking the President since mid-2020 to probe irregularities in this particular lab but nothing has been done for 18 months. Again, we urge the President to investigate what had become of the ADB funding,” Kumudesh said.
Attempts to contact a HSEP representative failed despite repeated attempts.
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
