Ministry secretary-Salusala chairman in dispute over school uniform material

- Dec 26, 2016

Industries and commerce ministry secretary T.M.K.B. Tennakoon has informed the Treasury secretary by fax to remove Salusala chairman K.K. Chandrasiri over a dispute among tender owners with regard to the supply of school uniform material for difficult areas, reports say.

According to reports reaching us, following is what has happened:

Since people in difficult areas are unable to obtain school uniform material for their children through the voucher method, a decision was taken to provide them with the material through Salusala. But, the institution did not possess the financial capability to handle such a job, and the education ministry has instructed that the required clothing material be obtained through an Indian company named Vachesvi and issue same to the schoolchildren.

However, secretary Tennakoon had refused to implement that decision and instructed that the services of a local agent be obtained. Tennakoon himself has proposed the name of a person, one Sarath Pathirana, who runs a money lending business at Mirihana.

The Indian company and Sarath’s side entered into an agreement and supplied the clothing material to Salusala, which was entitled to a 3.5 per cent commission for distributing the same to schools in difficult areas. However, what Sarath had done was to issue the clothing material he had ordered, instead of the clothing material supplied by the Indian company. Clothing material worth Rs. 5.6 million had been issued.

Coming to know about this violation of the agreement, the Indian company informed education minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam, who instructed Salusala to halt the deal. The institution followed the instruction, but Sarath’s side wanted the vouchers for the clothing material he had supplied if the deal was to be halted. The Salusala chairman has informed Sarath’s side that that could not be done as the deal has been halted on the education minister’s instructions.

Thereafter, Sarath’s side has informed secretary Tennakoon. His instruction to release the vouchers was rejected by the Salusala chairman.

According to reports reaching us, the Salusala chairman is an appointee of state minister Champika Premadasa, and the other side alleges he had halted the deal on the instructions of the education minister.

According to reports reaching us, both the Indian company and Sarath’s side had been chosen to supply the clothing material without following the tender procedures. The Salusala chairman declined to comment when contacted over the phone, while ministry secretary Tennakoon could not be reached.

-Sathhanda-