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People's Bank chairman wants PM to conduct inquiry

People's Bank chairman wants PM to conduct inquiry Featured

People’s Bank chairman Hemasiri Fernando says he will be happy if the Prime Minister conducts an inquiry into the purchase of digital equipment hardware for the bank.

An inquiry will establish the fact that the government tender procedure had been duly followed, he says.

Fernando was responding to questions raised by 'Sri Lanka Mirror' with regard to reports that the PM has asked ministers Ravi Karunanayake and Kabir Hashim to inquire and report to him about the purchases.

He said he has informed the PM that the due tender procedure had been followed.

However, media reports that three out of the nine People’s Bank director board members, at a meeting last Thursday, had opposed the handing over of the tender to Just In Time.

Fernando declined to comment on that.

One of the directors opposing the handover to Just In Time is industries ministry secretary T.M.K.D. Tennakoon, who is accused over a paddy racket.

Tennakoon and others in the opposing camp say they were not against the handover of the upgrade project, but allege that additions had been made to the project.

The People’s Bank directors, on a recommendation by the general manager and the IT chief, decided to buy hardware for a software being tested for around two years.

They decided to allocate between 4.5 million dollars and 5.5 million dollars for the purpose.

Only IBM had the required hardware and when asked, gave details of three institutions with whom it was having dealings – South Asian Technologies, Blue Chip and Just In Time.

When tenders were called those three companies and five others were allowed to submit bids.

However, by the time tenders closed, only Just In Time had submitted a bid, and Blue Chip said it wanted more time, and was given one week more.

But, during that one week period too, no other company submitted bids.

Therefore, six of the directors agreed to handover the tender to Just In Time.

Due to opposition by three directors, the Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology headed by Dr. Lalith Gamage has been asked to make a study of the matter and is due to handover its report tomorrow.

Last modified on Thursday, 01 September 2016 08:29