Slick CPC transaction under probe

Tuesday, 5 July 2011 00:54 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

By Uditha Jayasinghe

Facing tough criticism Petroleum Minister Susil Premajayanth yesterday ordered all payments for the 20, 000 tonnes of substandard fuel to be stopped and appointed a three-member committee to investigate into the incident amid Opposition calls for the government to take action.

Releasing a statement the Petroleum Industries Ministry stated that the tripartite committee will comprise of the secretary to another ministry, a former deputy manager of the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) and sales manager from the same institution. It also assured that the investigation would be wide ranging but did not mention deadlines.

Meanwhile in an increasingly politically charged situation the UNP demanded that the government take action against officials who were responsible for the importation of substandard oil. This comes in the wake of the JVP pointing out that the oil was ordered circumventing the tender procedure put in place by the CPC. The UNP also joined in the chorus and demanded that the official who selected the supplier be brought to book. “It is clear that the fuel has been imported from a supplier not registered with the CPC. Therefore we need to know who authorised this transaction and why it was allowed to happen in the first place,” UNP Spokesman MP Gayantha Karunathileke told the media at a press conference last morning.

These decisions were taken after the Minister had a discussion with high level officials of the CPC at the Ministry on Monday. At this meeting it was decided that complaints from customers could be made over hotlines and that written submission would also be accepted at provincial offices countrywide.

These complaints will be assessed by a team that has already been appointed by the CPC Chairman; the statement further said adding that a report will be compiled from them. The statement quoted CPC officials’ assurance that fuel was being properly dispensed at the Kolonnawa and Muthurajawela storage facilities.

“The minister has ordered that the fuel in the stations that have come under complaint be tested by provincial managers before being released to the public. The tests will confirm the quality of the fuel and see whether it is appropriate for vehicles,” the statement noted. It further stressed that since 1 July the Kolonnawa storage facility was dispensing new imports of fuel. The hotline numbers are 0115666328, 0115665082 and 0115664941.