News
Indian company demands USD 1.88 mn from CEB over alleged culpability of engineer
By Ifham Nizam
Sterling & Wilson (Pvt) Ltd., an Indian company, has demanded USD 1.88 million from the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) for alleged mishap caused by a Board Mechanical Engineer on the project 1×50 MW diesel plant.
Senior engineers are in the process of taking up the matter with CEB General Manager to urge him to carry out an investigation into alleged wrongful actions said to have been committed by then CEB Project Manager, Mechanical Engineer A.P.K.
Muthunayake and his team.The Contractor has claimed from CEB by their letter ref. CEB/NS/15/12/78 dated 2020.12.15 an additional sum of USD 1,887,970.15 for additional factory visits and inspections at overseas factories which are not identified in the contract.
Original Specification of the contract approved by Standing Cabinet Appointed Procurement Committee (SCAPC) requires Mass flow metres, painting of tanks, etc., for which S&W had estimated the cost and submitted the bid.However, the Contractor claims that CEB personnel who visited their factory approved changes to original specifications while they saw no approvals that had been made by the Board’s GM or SCAPC.
Indian Company revealed and claimed Rs. 650 million additional amount from CEB due to the additional foreign tours enjoyed by the then Project Manager Eng. Muthunayake, the Secretary of Mechanical Engineers Union of CEB.
The total loss caused to CEB by the poor management of this project was more than Rs. 837 million, an official said.
“CEB management has not carried out any investigation into the alleged fiasco and only transferred Muthunayake to a different branch at Aniyakanda Workshop,” a senior engineer said.
CEB mechanical engineers union President U.K.L. Choolakeerthi, contacted for comment, said that they were not authorised to talk the media and asked us to contact Media spokesman cum AGM A I D K Navaratne, who was not immediately available for comment.
The Pakistan Naval Ship (PNS) Shahjahan which arrived in Colombo on 02nd June 2023 on a two-day official visit, departed the island on 04th June 2023.
By Priyan de Silva
The Election Commission (ECSL) has opposed a move by the government to appoint representatives of the Chairpersons of the Regional Development Committee to monitor local government institutions.
ECSL Chairman Nimal G. Punchihewa told The Island that the government had informed the ECSL of its plan to appoint representatives of the Chairpersons of the Regional Development Committee to monitor the local government bodies and the ECSL had decided to write to the Ministry of Local Government opposing the move, he said. A Chairman of a regional development committee ESD a representative of a particular political party and it would be unfair by other parties for such appointments to be made, the EC Chairman said.
Punchihewa said that the administration of local government institutions could be done through Municipal Commissioners and Divisional Secretaries.Many political parties had complained against the government move, he said.
By Saman Indrajith
The JVP would file a fresh application before the Supreme Court against the government for not holding the local council polls, JVP MP Vijitha Herath said yesterday.Addressing the media at the party headquarters in Pelawatte, Herath said that his party had ascertained fresh information by invoking the Right to Information Act about the funds needed for the holding of the elections and his party would file another fundamental rights case against those responsible for conducting elections.
“The LG polls were to be held on 09 March. They were postponed until 25 April, and later they were put off indefinitely. The President appoints Governors to the provinces and the local councils are under them. Now, he says no party commands the support of 50 percent of voters.
Is this reason why he is not holding elections? His claim that there are no funds for elections is not acceptable. The Election Commission (EC) has, in a letter to the Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, asked for Rs 1,100 million in installments for conducting local government elections. The Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, on 07 March, informed
the EC that the latter’s request had been referred to the Minister of Finance on the same day. But so far the money has not been released. As per a report released by the Treasury, the government revenue was Rs 177,900 million in January this year alone. Of that amount, Rs 156,760 was allocated to government institutions. The Treasury has Rs 21,410 million. In February, the government revenue was at Rs. 271,750 million and of that Rs. 208,620 million was spent. The balance was Rs 63,130 million. In January and February, the Treasury had Rs 84,270 million. These figures have been officially confirmed by a Deputy Treasury Secretary. The EC is seeking only Rs 2,460 million for elections. So, the claim that there is no money for elections is false as per official records. We will submit this information to the Supreme Court when we file a fresh application. We will prove that the government has lied to people,” Herath said.
PNS Shahjahan departs after successful naval exercise
Oil prices rise as Saudi Arabia pledges output cuts – Opec+
Showers in Western and Sabaragamuwa Provinces and in Galle and Matara districts
-
News6 days agoPolice looking for security guard of Sirisena’s brother
-
Latest News6 days ago
Jadeja’s nerveless hitting gifts Chennai Super Kings fifth IPL title
-
News7 days ago
Sri Lankans living abroad can apply for a new passport or renew their passport online from 01 June
-
Features6 days ago
Sri Lanka’s ignorance matches that of US – II
-
Features6 days ago
President’s efforts require parliamentary support
-
News6 days ago
Six Lankan victims of trafficking repatriated from Myanmar
-
Business6 days ago
Havelock City Mall to be launched
-
Features6 days ago
Excitement galore for Janaka
