Employing or engaging foreign consultants

Apart from the Physical Resources that Sri Lanka is blessed with, the biggest asset available to Sri Lankans in their endeavour to “Reawaken Sri Lanka as Paradise Isle” is the Human Resource produced by Sri Lanka.

Whereas this Human Resource has been attracted worldwide, particulary by the more affluent countries (in all of which they have excelled), it is a tragedy that Sri Lanka has not been able to motivate and harness this tremendous resource for its development.

The “hygiene factor” of adequate remuneration has driven many Sri Lankans to search for greener pastures outside Sri Lanka.

However there has been a plethora of “Foreign Consultants” who are handsomely remunerated, on the all too often false premise that they are “experts”, event though they are blissfully ignorant of the conditions prevalent in this country and what would truly benefit Sri Lanka.

Such “Foreign Consultants” can hardly be faulted, because “where ignorance is bliss, it is folly to be wise”.

The imposition of a tax on the earnings of such Foreign Consultants, proposed in the 2008 Budget is a welcome measure. A “Checklist for employing or engaging Foreign Consultants” adopted in the Central Bank, these past two years, is as follows:

1. Will the consultancy be in a field where the Central Bank needs expertise and has such field been identified by the Bank as being necessary before the offer for the consultancy was made?

Note - Special care should be taken if a consultancy has been proposed by an outside agency on an unsolicited basis.

2. Will the consultancy be handled by a person or persons who are more qualified than those in the Central Bank cadre?

3. Will the consultancy be carried out by a person or persons who have greater hands-on experience in the subject area than those in the Central Bank cadre?

4. Will the consultancy generate a value addition which is measurable to the Central Bank or the country, and is so, is there prima facie evidence that such a consultancy would be of overall benefit to the Bank or the country?

If the answers to all four questions as above are in the affirmative, a Board Paper would need to be prepared which spells out in detail the benefits of such outside consultancies and thereafter a decision would be taken to engage a consultant or consultancy firm.

Strict compliance with this Check List for Employing or Engaging Foreign Consultants has resulted in the non-employment of any such Consultant in the Central Bank.

It is desirable that such criteria should be adopted as a prerequisite for employing or engaging any Foreign Consultant in Sri Lanka.

Unique and novel contribution...

Professor J. N. Oleap Fernando
Honorary Dean, College of Chemical Sciences

Continued from Last week

Convocation of College of Chemical Sciences

Another innovative feature in the life of the College is the holding of annual (dedicated) convocations to herald the passing out of a batch of Graduate Chemists and DLTC Diplomates annually from 2005.

So far three Convocations have been held in 2005, 2006 and 2007. A grand convocation is being planned to commemorate the passing out of the 25th batch later this year.

Crowning glory consequent to the graduateship programme

When the Graduateship Programme in Chemistry commenced in 1979, our Institute had a very small membership, had very little funds and had no office nor employees.

After running the Graduateship Programme in Chemistry commenced in 1979, our institute had a very small membership, had very little funds and had no office nor employees.

After running the Graduateship Programme in Chemistry for 28 years, our Institute is today the proud possessor of a Headquarters Building (Adamantane House) which contains within it lecture hall, office, laboratories, instrument centre, air conditioned library, computer centre and other related buildings valued at over Rs. 40 million (US $ 400,000).

We also have 15 full time employees and a number of other part time academic staff. All this has been possible due to running a carefully planned and systematic professional programme in Chemistry which has enabled the Institute of Chemistry Ceylon (and its College of Chemical Sciences) to become a leading player in the human resource development scenario in Sri Lanka.

All this has been possible while charging our students the minimum possible cost.

However what is even more significant and relevant to note in this context is that students entering the programme this year and hoping to graduate in four years time in 2011 will need to pay only a sum of Rs. 165,000 (approx. US $ 1500) for obtaining a qualification equivalent to a B.Sc Honours degree in Chemistry.

This works out to the equivalent of about US $ 30 per month. Those passing out this year, as the silver jubilee batch. Having been students from 2003-2007, would have paid only about Rs. 125,000 (approx. US $ 1,200) for a full 4-year programme.

It is interesting to note that the Sri Lankan government spends on a typical university science student a sum equal to this amount in one year; the fact that the Institute of Chemistry Ceylon and its College of Chemical Sciences have been able to make use of the expertise available within its membership to provide a Graduate Chemist programme at only 25 per cent of what the Sri Lankan taxpayer contributes towards the equivalent production of Chemists in a state university is certainly food for thought for economists, educationalists, planners and politicians!

It is indeed worthwhile, relevant and appropriate for all in Sri Lanka to recognise how much Sri Lanka is losing today in officially preventing and not encouraging the conduct of degree programmes outside the conventional State sector.

It is also relevant to note that for the past three decades fee levying distance study courses have been made available in the state managed Open University of Sri Lanka at all levels including the undergraduate level.

All conventional universities are also providing post-graduate and several other programmes on at least a cost recovery basis without a state contribution for recurrent expenditure. What is therefore the rationale not to encourage degree education outside the state sector through private institutions including professional bodies whether for profit or otherwise?

What is even more significant is that our institute has been able to utilise the savings obtained from the recurrent income on our programme to put up a building of reasonable size as well as meet other capital expenditure, essential equipment and instruments with no governmental aid whatsoever.

The only governmental contribution towards the Institute’s efforts has been the long term leasing of a 25-perch block of land in the late varieties at a moderate annual lease rent in order to put up a building which the Institute has been successfully able to do within 30 years of the commencement of the Graduateship programme in chemistry.

We are deeply thankful to the Government of Sri Lanka for this concession.

Our building indeed can be called the crowning glory of the Institute.

It is today serving as the focal and nodal point for all the professional, academic and educational activities of the Institute of Chemistry Ceylon in Sri Lanka.

College of Chemical Sciences

The Academic Board of the Institute of Chemistry which dealt with the academic activities from 1981 was given the status of the College of Chemical Sciences in 2001.

The establishment of College of Chemical Sciences helped to diversify the educational and training programmes. Logo of the College of Chemical Sciences depicts a flaming torch enclosed within a tetrahedron, surmounted by a Graduates cap with an orange tassel.

The tetrahedron which symbolises the carbon atom is saturated organic compounds (e.g. methane, diamond) and P4. The flame symbolises the light of knowledge and education vanquishing the darkness of ignorance. The tussled cap symbolises the academic achievement of Graduate Chemist.

Concluded

Questions and Answers

Deeds for Bloemendhal Government Flats

Question: The Bloemendhal Housing Scheme Flats of the National Housing Development Authority were offered for sale to the legal tenants and sub-tenants/residents for outright purchase on an estimated value according to the duration of the tenancy of the individual tenants concerned.

Most tenants purchased these flats outright according to the estimated value offered to them and sales agreements were signed with necessary stamp fees and attested by witnesses.

Several years have gone by, after signing the Sales Agreements, still the deeds have not been issued. Can the Sales Agreements so signed, hold good for any length of time, irrespective of the Deed, so as to prove the vesting of the ownership concerned. Is it a legally valid document.

Concerned Individual

Answer:

We contacted the National Housing Department Authority and according to them it takes about one to two years to prepare the deeds as they are dependant on other Government Department input to prepare these Deeds.

With relation to the Bloemendhal Flats, Deeds are ready for part of the scheme and the balance are being prepared currently.

Can you contact the Manager of the National Housing Department Office in Maligawatte in order to find out the status of the Deed for your Flat? You can also contact him on telephone No. 2435146.

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Balance payable on auction of pawned jewellery

Question: In 2006 I pawned some jewellery items to a Branch of a Development Bank. As I had to face any personal problems I couldn’t redeem the articles within a year or renew it.

The Bank has recovered the amount due and the interest by auctioning them. The Bank has informed that they have received over Rs. 5000 in excess during the auction and I can collect it. Unfortunately, I have lost the pawned receipt issued by the bank and they say that the excess money recovered cannot be paid without the original receipt.

A. M. S. Wijesinghe-Kurunegala

Answer:

The information you have received is incorrect. You can claim the money even without the original receipt. You have to provide the Bank with a affidavit and prove your Identity. There is a specific set of forms which you can collect from the manager of your Bank - Branch or the Manager (Credit) at the Head Office. Get the direct advice from your Branch Manager so that he will brief you about the procedure.

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Certified copy of Birth Certificate without records

Question: I was born in 1937 and was registered at Thimbirigasyaya, Additional District Registrar. Though I wanted to obtain a certified copy of my Birth Certificate my application, was returned to me saying that the original office copies cannot be traced due to decay?.

About this I consulted the Registrar General and he informed me that I have to get a Court Order by submitting a number of letters, certificates and filled forms. It is a long procedure for me to attend at this age. Is there any other way of getting this done as I have an old certified copy issued from the Thimbirigasyaya Office.

A. M. Silva, Minuwangoda

Answer:

As you have a certified copy of your birth certificate you need not follow the procedure you have mentioned.

If you can’t personally come to the Registrar General’s Department you may send the copy of the certificate through a family member or so. The officers of the Registrar General Department will guide you to obtain certified copy of your birth certificate.

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Construction of unauthorized structures at Amour Street Flat Premises

Question: Given below is a copy of the letter sent to the CMA. We would appreciate if you could assist us.

We, the undersigned the occupants/owners of the premises No.’s B!-13 and B!-22 our names, write to bring to your immediate notice and necessary early action to stop the construction of unauthorized structure/extension to the ground floor house at No. B1-4 the owner of the premises M.O.M. Nazar, which is a punishable offence under condominium authority law No. 10 of 1973, which empowers the CMA to remove all unauthorized structures erected by respective occupant contrary to the registered condominium plan.

The illegal unauthorised structure to be constructed would obstruct a cripple the day to day work on our houses which are on the top of the house No. B1-4. There are possible dangers to garbage pits, etc., and people in the upper floor are unable to evacuate during an emergency situation.

We humbly request you to make an inspection of the proposed unauthorised structure to be constructed by Mr. Nazar and put a stop due to reasons stated above. Delay in your taking action would create problems for us as he would do the construction during the weekend and disturb the peace.

M. Silmy, M. Nazar-Colombo 12

Answer:

The best people to attend to your problem are the “Condominium Management Authority”.

If there has been no response yet to your letter of 10.11.07 addressed to the Chairman of this Board, we suggest you send a copy to the Minister of Housing and Construction as well.

Anderson Flats is another place where the occupants/owners are carrying out unauthorised construction at their will as per complaints received by us. If no action has been taken to date please let us know so that we too will write to the authorities concerned.

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Treatment for double vision

Question: I am a retired teacher and yet to get my pension. I have been using spectacles for Astigmatism from 1971. Now my eye vision is Right eye -8.75 left eye-2.75

I need to have a clear vision without spectacles because it gives me double vision.

(i) Can I rectify this by Lasik treatment

(ii) If so where is it available free of charge

(iii) What are the other options?

Please give a detailed reply through OPA Daily News

A. Abdul Raheem-Kinniya 07

Answer:

Your double vision could be due to several reasons, one of which could have been suppressed lens given for your weaker eye (Right eye-8.25). You should visit the Trincomalee General Hospital and get a proper examination by the Optholomist at the hospital.

We cannot give you any recommendation on a remote basis as it will turn out to be a blind leading a blind.

Correction of such a case may be possible by Lasik treatment but the patient’s eye must be in a physically acceptable condition for Lasik treatment which will be ascertained by suitable examination by a qualified doctor. In any case there is no free service available yet for Lasik treatment in Sri Lanka.

Public Interest Protection Counselling and Arbitration Centre

A Public Interest Protection Counselling and Arbitration Centre (PIPCAC) has been established in the OPA. Any member of the public is welcome to seek the assistance of PIPCAC in respect of any grievance he/she may have.

This may be done in writing addressed to Elmore Perera, President OPA and Chairman PIPCAC, or in person at any time between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday to Friday Every lawful attempt will be made to obtain the relief sought.

However, there is no guarantee of success in every case.

OPA forum

An OPA-open forum on “A shipping policy for Sri Lanka” at the OPA Auditorium on December 12 from 5.30 p.m. onwards.

Presentations will be made by the “Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers”, “Ceylon Association of Shipping Agents” and “Sri Lanka Vessel Operators Association”. OPA members and the public are invited.