Prove worthiness

Thursday, 19 January 2012 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The decision to give employees of the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC), Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) and National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB) a salary hike of 25 per cent despite the mammoth losses that they are already making is an unfair and counterproductive step.

Let it be noted at the onset that this is not an attempt to deprive these public workers but an endeavour to point out that officials that cannot run their institutions in a profitable manner and rely on billions of public money need to be kept accountable for the massive losses that are being incurred due to their blatant incompetence.

Take for example the CPC, the Ministry of Finance has charged that despite the government having provided a tax benefit to the tune of Rs. 20 million, the CPC has incurred losses to the tune of Rs. 26,922 million for 2011.

Petroleum Resources Minister Susil Premjayantha has gone on record saying that such a heavy loss had been incurred by the CPC due to its officials, and that he was helpless on this matter. While politicisation by successive governments and ministers has to take a large part of this blame the fact that the CPC has not managed function efficiently, appoint competent officials including a financial manager and imports sub-standard fuel that damages vehicles but cannot blacklist the offender are all points that evoke anger.

According to the Finance Ministry, the financial viability of the CPC is down by 49 per cent. Also the CPC has been providing fuel on lease and on concessionary rates experiencing a loss of Rs. 20,074 million.

Despite the lapse of years the numbers only grow. The CPC has provide itself to be one of the most corrupt and inefficient public enterprises of this country that absorbs public money and gives nothing in return. Therefore should the employees be given a pay hike far higher than those given to other public or private institutions?

A similar story can be seen with the CEB. Whopping losses of Rs. 29 billion were documented in 2011 and projections of losses were higher due to the higher generation of thermal power due to the scarcity of rain. While the CEB cannot be blamed for weather conditions it can be blamed for the drought of corruption and mismanagement where offending officials have been allowed to continue working within the organisation.

NWSDB has a slightly better record with only Rs.1.4 billion in losses for 2011 and Rs. 2.9 billion in 2010 but the main point of this loss is due to the outdated pipe system leaking millions of litres of water. The grave need to rehabilitate the infrastructure and reduce losses to save water is one of the most urgent needs.

Even with a 25 per cent pay hike CEB employees took to the streets on Wednesday to protest what they deemed as niggardly treatment and demanded that the full 45 per cent be given. This is an insensitive request at best. Every official in these three institutions need to prove that they are worth the investment being made by public money and work to stamp out corruption, mismanagement and wastage in their respective organisations. If they need better treatment then they first need to prove that they are worthy to the masses.