Top CEB officials get lavish Rs.10m foreign training tour

22 October 2015 09:52 pm - 21 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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Controversy surrounds a lavish Rs.10.4 million foreign training tour, to be indulged in by 11 top level officials of the Ceylon Electricity Board, in Vienna, Austria in November this year, despite a recent government circular to minimise the use of state funds.

The group, comprising seven CEB deputy general managers, three chief engineers and an accountant will participate in a six-day training workshop in Vienna from November 9 to 13.

The workshop will be conducted on Certified Key Performance Indicator (KPI) for Professional and Practitioner for a fee of US$ 76,620 (Rs.10.4 million).

CEB inside sources told Daily Mirror that this was an ‘utter’ waste of state funds, as such a training course could easily be conducted in Sri Lanka for much less.

It could even be arranged for a foreign instructor to conduct a workshop here for just US$ 100 per trainee, they said.

Moreover, two or three of the officers are to retire at the beginning of 2016, and spending such a vast sum on training those who will retire in two months is appalling.

The sources who spoke on condition of anonymity said the CEB management had ignored government circular No. CSA/9/3/(i) issued by the Presidential Secretariat on October 1 (and based on a Cabinet decision of 16. 09. 2015) to minimise the use of state funds.

Also, a letter from the secretary to the Ministry of Power and Renewable Energy -- to the CEB and six other departments -- had referred to the Cabinet decision to reduce foreign trips and tours of state officials.

Responding to the allegations, CEB General Manager M. C. Wickramasekara said that if staff training was deemed necessary by a selection committee, it had to be carried out regardless.

The GM said any CEB union was welcome to sit down and discuss such matters with him. (Kurulu Koojana Kariyakarawana)

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Comments - 21

upull Friday, 23 October 2015 09:34 AM

Only draw back is inclusion of two officers who is retiring 2016 is selected and this has to be revived. . Otherwise These training are very important

AR Saturday, 24 October 2015 07:17 PM

Bringing down the experts and training much larger group can cost nothing compared to this.

paths Saturday, 24 October 2015 05:41 PM

Millions r wasted by CABINET MINISTERS of a JUMBO CABINET,This is a TRAINING tour

liyanage Saturday, 24 October 2015 05:23 PM

If they support the current regime, then it is acceptable. Sri Lanka at its best.

Veda-mama Friday, 23 October 2015 04:44 PM

Oh! That was a misprint. They are to be presented with some Cigars and an Armchair, each.

Kale Friday, 23 October 2015 11:10 AM

No wonder electricity is so expensive.

Bala Friday, 23 October 2015 10:50 AM

Please provide electricity to a remote village or put up an electric fence to prevent elephants from coming to poor villages and destroy life and houses and crops. Much better investment than a jaunt as this education will never be put to use in SL except buck up their CVs.

lkboy Friday, 23 October 2015 10:30 AM

May be they are going to learn how to bring down the cost of electricity bill.

Dr. R.De. s Seneviratne Friday, 23 October 2015 10:09 AM

Not surprising when the calibre of the minister of power and energy is taken into consideration.

Nihal Amarasekera Friday, 23 October 2015 10:08 AM

This sort of thing is happening at different levels at different institutions. Only magnums are highlighted. Whom to blame whom?

cheers Friday, 23 October 2015 09:47 AM

Cant we invest that to ensure we do not have power cuts

Goliwog Friday, 23 October 2015 04:13 AM

The CEB is one of the most inefficient organisations in Sri Lanka. In Nugegoda where I live, it is common to have power failure 2 to 3 time per day. What KPIs for this type of service. It is just a waste of public funds. It is time the CEB, Sri Lanka Railway and the Petroleum Corporation be privatised and start by cutting unwanted staff.

Pibi Friday, 23 October 2015 09:29 AM

What is the purpose in providing training at such enormous cost to officers who will retire in a few months?

suranga2500 Friday, 23 October 2015 08:28 AM

Looks like maithree palanaya is another gimick

mithra Friday, 23 October 2015 08:28 AM

We are curios to know the topic of the subject matter of this training workshop that involves DGMs,Accountants and Chief Engineers.

Tax -payer Friday, 23 October 2015 07:54 AM

Looks like a farewell party for someretiring in 02 months This is how CEB is always running at a loss. The Chairman and Board must be sacked. via DM Android App

ANTON Friday, 23 October 2015 07:14 AM

LESSON NO. 01 : HOW TO COOK UP LIES IN CASE OF LONG POWER FAILURES.

BUSHEL Friday, 23 October 2015 06:53 AM

Strange that is JVP unaware. Hope they will take it up at parliament.

Jamal Friday, 23 October 2015 04:50 AM

The amount stated may sound like a lot of money but it works out to around Rs. 1 Mill per head.Cost of Air Ticket, Cost of Hotel, meals, local travel etc. will add up to this amount very quickly. It is not an unfair sum at all.The need for so many to go is the issue that should be investigated.

Sena Friday, 23 October 2015 04:36 AM

How on earth can you justify 2 of the attending officers, when they are due for retirement in early 2016? Typical incompetency of the GM.

Greg Fernando Friday, 23 October 2015 04:15 AM

GM of CEB would support the programme as he too would have followed several similiar foreign training. The Question is WHY with this amount of training has not produced the desired results ? May be these are not useful or the personnel selected does not make Full use.

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Top CEB officials get lavish Rs.10m foreign training tour

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