News
Rs. 50 mn. wasted buying equipment CEB already owns
Purchases suspected to enable overseas junkets
By Ifham Nizam
The Norochcholai Coal Power Plant has spent Rs. 50 million to purchase an unnecessary test apparatus when the same equipment is available in several specialized branches of the CEB, a senior Electrical Engineer said.
He said that the equipment known as the primary injection test set (or primary current injection kit) is used for testing different components in electricity supply systems, including circuit breakers, transformers and protective relays.
The Generation Division of the CEB under which the Norochcholai Coal Plant functions already has two dedicated asset management branches to service testing and commissioning requirements of its power plants.
“Both these asset management branches have fully functional primary injection test sets purchased from a highly reputed Austrian manufacturer,” he added.
The Sunday Island learns these branches also have spent millions on procuring many other test equipment and providing specialized overseas training to their engineers. The purpose of having dedicated asset management branches is to avoid duplication of very expensive equipment and to retain engineers with specialized training in a central place to serve the needs of all power stations.
Similar branches exist in the Transmission and Distribution divisions of the CEB as well. These branches also have purchased their own primary injection test sets.
Several engineers serving at the Norochcholai power plant told The Island on condition of anonymity that it was a total waste for the plant to spend Rs. 50 million to purchase the same equipment already owned by the two asset management branches of the Generation Division.
They pointed out that the Asset Management branch in charge of thermal power plants has carried out all testing work associated with major overhauls of the Norochcholai Coal Power Plant to date. They question why the Norochcholai purchased this expensive item which was not only not required but also given the fact that the same equipment supplied by its Italian manufacturer to two of the distribution divisions of the CEB had failed and become unusable.
It is understood that the supply contract included overseas training and factory inspection in Italy for the engineers at Norochcholai.
Some CEB engineers expressed the grave suspicion that the equipment in question may have been purchased to justify the overseas visits by the engineers concerned.
They claim such training is also unnecessary since there are already trained engineers working in the specialized branches of the CEB, and the CEB has spent vast sums in training them both locally and at manufacturers’ facilities abroad.
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.
