Minister Mervyn Silva takes MPCS officers to task

Text and pix by Lionel P Perera, - Kelaniya Special Corr. and Mahanama Vithanage, Malwana Group Corr.

Public Relations and Public Affairs Minister Mervyn Silva yesterday castigated two officers of the Dalugama MPCS for their inefficiency and lack of common sense and failing to arrange a standby generator for the opening ceremony of a Fisheries Sales Centre and Co-Op City in Kelaniya attended by him and said he would terminate their services with immediate effect as a punishment.

The two officers earned the minister’s ire because the lights and the public address system at the venue stalled soon after Minister Silva stated his speech to the amusement of the audience due to a power cut implemented in the area by the CEB.

Minister Silva said public officials should be properly updated about the situation in the country. It was public knowledge that the CEB was planning a two hour power cut in certain areas beginning yesterday owing to a technical fault at the Puttalam and Kerawalapitiya power stations.

‘Therefore, officials should have arranged a standby generator at the venue knowing that there would be a power cut so that the proceedings could be continued without disruption.

‘The two officials who arranged the meeting had proved their inefficiency and unsuitability to hold high posts by not having the foresight to make such arrangements.

‘He did not need the services of officers who are not farsighted in their actions.

Minister Silva said the people should not blame the government for the power cuts because they were unavoidable in the present circumstances where there is lack of rainfall for hydro power generation and technical faults had occurred in the thermal and coal power plant.