Minister warns of rising white collar crime

Ishara Mudugamuwa

Though LTTE terrorism has ended white collar crime is on the rise in the country, said Construction, Engineering Services, Housing and Common Amenities Minister Wimal Weerawansa.

Participating as the Chief Guest at the Annual General Meeting of Sri Lanka Quantity Surveyors held recently at JAIC Hilton Colombo Minister Weerawansa said that when we try to change traditional procedures in some fields, the white collar mafia scuttles our efforts,”said the minister.

“The role of quantity surveyors is very much essential for the development of the construction sector. They do a great service by handling natural resources carefully and enabling us to get over. money’s worth for what is spent on construction projects. Most get most of the raw material from nature. It should be highly appreciated that they make use of natural resources which not only benefits not the construction sector, but other fields too.” said the minister.

“Our quantity surveyors have shown their talents in foreign countries. They have been highly recognized by the Middle East which is a honour to us.” he said.

The minister also said there is a rapid growth of the construction sector at present. “But we have lots of challenges, such as, the shortage of human resources, raw materials, high production costs, etc. The country’s economy shows 8.3 percent growth and unemployment has dropped. So there is a possibility to have that type of challenge.

“When the agriculture sector faced a lean period in the past, the sons of farmers moved to urban areas to seek jobs specially in the construction and security fields.

“The Youth Affairs and Skills Development Ministry and the Construction, Engineering Services, Housing and Common Amenities Ministry havecommenced a joint programme to produce skilled labour for the construction sector”, said the minister.

ICTAD Chairman Udula Bandara Ausadahamy, International Surveying Special Adviser Keith G.Skelton, Sri Lanka Surveyor Association Chairman Hemantha Aponsu , Prof. Chithra Wediccara and many others participated in the occasion.