45 years old and dynamic SL Foundation Institute in a slumber due to weakness of professor

(Lanka-e-News- 17.March.2014, 8.40PM)  The employees of Sri Lanka Foundation Institute (SLFI) extended support to the government of good governance because they were disappointed and disillusioned with Rajapakse regime owing to its many monumental weaknesses . It was the hope and aspiration  of those employees that the good governance government would perform better with purity and efficiency , and be successful unlike the previous regime. 

The good governance government was elected into power as a result , and the incumbent president Maithripala Sirisena appointed Malith Jayatileke (appointed  M.P  from the present national list who is now a minister) , as the chief of the Foundation. It is no gainsaying the fact that Malith ran the Institute  successfully enough until the general elections. He was able to augment the welfare activities  and income  of the Institute during that period.

After he entered parliament ,Professor Kapila Gunasekera was appointed in his place by the presidential secretariat . With his advent  and under his administration the Foundation took a turn for the worse. Gunasekera is a professor of traditional Universities , and has no knowledge or experience in running an Institute like the SLFI. Having no plans or strategies , the Institute’s administration under him has gone to rack and ruin . 

There being no educational  plans or projects, or methods to augment its income , profligacy and waste have become the order of the day under Gunasekera.  

The Institute’s revenue has dwindled so much so that when compared with the previous 5 years , the situation is disastrous. A cursory glance at the financial records and registers bear testimony to this . Owing to this grave situation , Gunasekera is unable to maintain the staff . Hence he has whittled down the welfare facilities of the workers. 

The funds  provided by the government being not enough to pay the salaries , the expenses are met out of the income generated by the Institution . Being  aware  that the paltry payments are  not enough to meet the current  living costs , the erstwhile administrators paid a   reward to all the employees even before, out of  the income of the Institute. This professor Kapila on the other hand  has even halted the payment of bonus to these poor employees who are eagerly anticipating that payment  . Instead of creating a pleasant environment conducive to work , he had recently without permission recruited a registrar , as a stooge only to further drive the Institute into a  calamitous situation , without heeding the advice of the experienced and recognized  staff .

What is expected from the chairman is decision making  based on policies, and through that organize the Institution , instead of that what   this chairman does is attending  to trifling matters in the financial and administrative divisions, when there are other officers to do that. 

To compound the confusion , he had appointed the largest administrative board costing the most so far to the Institution .They meet  monthly and are provided with sumptuous and delectable meals  .The board that comprised ten members previously  has swollen to 15 members to include the chairman’s stooges , lackeys and cronies , and has become a money wasting exercise. Incredibly, though  this board has swollen, so far no worthwhile decisions have been taken by them to organize the Institute for its benefit.  All that is taking place is wasting the Institute’s resources .In addition , the chairman  is continuing to serve as an ordinary University lecturer. 

He has recruited to the Foundation without following procedures duly , two  or three puppets who dance to his tune . It is very unfortunate that because of such a chairman who is acting according to his own whims and fancies , a sublime Institution that lasted this long (45 long years!)  with the aid of the government of Germany is on the verge  of collapse.

It is a pity the present government of good governance by appointing such misfits has only earned the bitter displeasure of the employees in those Institutions.

In the circumstances , it is high time measures are taken effectively and swiftly  to appoint suitable and eligible candidates to these posts in the vital  Institutions that are under the president.

By disillusioned and disappointed pro good governance employees of SL Foundation Institute
Translated by Jeff

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by     (2016-03-17 15:19:11)