CIOB welcomes Govt. move to pay arrears to construction contractors

• Rs. 243 b already been paid to construction contractors

Ceylon Institute of Builders (CIOB) President Dr. Rohan Karunaratne said yesterday that he appreciated the decision taken by the Government to pay the arrears due to Government construction projects before the end of this month (January). 

Finance Ministry Secretary S.R. Attygalle had said that Rs. 243 billion had already been paid to construction contractors due to Government construction projects and that all outstanding bills would be paid before the end of this month.

The Secretary to the Ministry of Finance had stated this at a meeting held at Temple Trees recently to inform Government officials about the ‘Chat with the Village’ (‘Gama Samaga Pilisadarak’) program. The Secretary requested all responsible Government officials, including district secretaries, to refer all outstanding bills to the Treasury as soon as possible.

Appreciating the decision of the Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, Karunaratne said: “If any government takes decisions that hinder the long-term growth of the construction industry, we as an institute of the construction industry will criticise it without political bias.

“Similarly, we appreciate any decision taken by any government that contributes to the long-term growth of the construction industry. The political instability under the previous Government, the Easter attack and the current corona epidemic are causing some setbacks in the construction industry. At this point the contractors are doing business with great difficulty. I appreciate the Government’s decision to pay their arrears expeditiously. As a leading institute of representing the construction industry in Sri Lanka, we have been urging the Government to expedite the payment of dues for construction projects that have been completed to the required standard. We see the positive response of the Government as a coincidence.”