Central Engineering Consultancy Bureau awarded ISO

Sanjeevi Jayasuriya

The Central Engineering Consultancy Bureau (CECB) was awarded ISO 9001;2008 quality management certification by the Sri Lanka Standards Institute at a ceremony held in Colombo on Monday.

The immense contribution by the CECB in numerous national efforts, especially the role played in resettling the displaced soon after the end of war is commendable. It is a prime government agency that generates sufficient returns to operate without being a burden to the government coffers, Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa said.

The Asian Development Bank agreed to obtain services from the CECB bypassing the tender procedure due to efficient delivery commitment. The securing the ISO certification is an example for the government sector and its contribution to the country enhances the quality of life, he said.

The attractiveness of an organization depends on the manner it serves public in a globally competitive environment. The government allocated Rs 36 billion for the development of the irrigation sector from the current budget and the CECB could play a proactive role in the country’s forward march, Irrigation and Water Resources Management Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said.

In recognizing the service by the field officers, the government also allocated a Rs 15,000 monthly allowance to motivate them for improved performance. “We need more engineers to meet the growing demands of the development drive and the education sector needs to geared to produce more,” he said.

While emphasizing the government recognition for sectoral growth, the Minister said that nine percent of the total budget allocations are for the construction sector to develop highways and construct buildings where boom in the industry could be seen at present. The government injected Rs 3 billion for the construction industry by providing machinery and equipment to enable the sector to be the forerunner in technical know-how provider in the road to become the wonder of Asia.

The CECB which comprises a multi disciplinary team of over 1,000 including engineers, architecturers and geologists was established in 1973 with a grant of Rs 500,000. It has collaborations in eight foreign countries such as the Maldives, India, UK, Kenya, Malawi and Uganda and has generated Rs 300 million from projects under taken with plans to achieve Rs one billion target within the next two years.

The CECB acts as a one stop shop where it capable of the delivery of fast track solutions. It undertakes various activities including construction, soil testing and maintenance.