News
Procurement of LP gas: Ex-COPE Chief alleges embezzlement of funds amounting to Rs 1.3 bn
Auditor General says probe completed; Litro response to be sought
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Former Chairman of the Committee of Public Enterprises (COPE) Prof. Charitha Herath, MP, has said the LP gas supply had been disrupted for eight months as a Litro Gas Chairman had cancelled a tender awarded to a supplier.
The SLPP National List member said so addressing a public meeting organised by the SLPP rebel group, in Kandy, on Saturday (10). Herath was referring to the appointment of Viyathmaga activist Theshara Jayasinghe as Chairman of Litro on July 06, 2021. The LP gas supply remained crippled until Jayasinghe’s resignation on 14 April 2022. Jayasinghe was succeeded by Vijitha Herath, who was replaced by Muditha Peiris on 13 June. The incumbent Chairman previously served as the Managing Director of the state enterprises owned by Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation (SLIC).
Herath claimed that a dispute between local agents of the supplier chosen by Litro and another led to the disruption of supplies in the wake of the cancellation of the tender. Former Foreign Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris and Dr. Nalaka Godahewa, who received the media portfolio during the tail-end of the Gotabaya Rajapaksa administration, were among those present at the meeting. The rebel group consists of 13 members. At the time the then President Gotabaya Rajapaksa appointed Theshara Jayasinghe as Litro Chairman, Anil Koswatte served as the Chairman and the state enterprise has been embroiled in a controversy over the suspension of state audit.
Prof. Herath said it had not been possible to restore the cooking gas supply until the World Bank provided USD 70 mn to the government. Sri Lanka added USD 20 mn to the funds provided by the World Bank. The lawmaker claimed that the supplier whose bid had been rejected earlier had secured the contract through a front. He alleged that a metric ton of gas that could have been procured previously at a cost of USD 96 was finally obtained at USD 129.One-time Media Ministry Secretary alleged that even the funds provided by the World Bank at a time the country was struggling to resolve the economic crisis had been misappropriated.
Acknowledging that they didn’t want to cause another disruption, Prof. Herath said the crisis had been exploited by interested parties to embezzle as much as Rs 1.3 bn. The people had elected Gotabaya Rajapaksa President, hoping for an end to waste, corruption and irregularities. Unfortunately, the public faith in the former President was shattered.Auditor General W. P. C. Wickremaratne yesterday told The Island that his officers had completed the inquiry and would soon send their report to the state enterprise concerned for its response.
The COPE, under the chairmanship of Prof. Herath, also inquired into the failure on the part of Litro to utilize USD 160 mn allocated through the Indian credit line for the procurement of gas. The parliamentary watchdog recommended the appointment of the members of the Board of Directors of Litro through the parent company SLIC instead of through the Ministry of Finance.
Prof. Herath said an investigation had to be conducted, through the Auditor General’s Department, on the cancellation of the term tender, which had been approved by the Cabinet to buy gas from Siam Gas at USD 96 per metric ton and opting to buy 100,000 MT of gas at a cost of USD 129 per metric ton from an Oman company. Instructions had been issued when the members of the top management of Litro Gas Lanka Ltd., Litro Gas Terminal Lanka (Pvt.) Ltd., and Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation were summoned before the COPE to implement the orders given by the previous Committee on Public Enterprises and to discuss the current performance.
Inquiries revealed that since the term tender for the purchase of gas ended in February 2021, tenders had been invited for 2,80,000 metric tons of gas and three gas suppliers submitted bids accordingly. Siam Gas Company submitted the lowest price as USD 96 per metric ton and accordingly the Cabinet has decided to award the tender.The Litro management is on record as having told the COPE that gas could not be obtained from Siam Gas Company due to the economic crisis as banks in Sri Lanka were unable to submit the Standby Letter of Credit (SBLC) to Litro as per the conditions announced during the bidding process.
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
