People’s Bank tender scam to COPE

SATURDAY, 01 OCTOBER 2016

A complaint has been received by the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) that US$ 7,600,000 (Rs. 1,117,200,000) has been spent by People’s Bank to provide internet facilities for .47% of its total number of customers. The complaint has been made by All Ceylon Bank Employees Union.

A massive controversy has emerged as a Malaysian company known as ‘Silverlake’ has been awarded the ‘Digital Banking’ project of People’s Bank without calling for tenders. It is complained that through this transaction a large amount of Bank’s money has been misappropriated.

All Ceylon Bank Employees Union points out that out of the more than 17 million customers only about 600,000 customers make use of SMS facilities and US$7,600,000 is spent for this small number of customers.

Meanwhile, the authorities of People’s Bank has spent money to publish advertisements stating they are to protect ‘People’s Bank’. This was questioned by the JVP Leader Anura Dissanayaka in Parliament. He found fault with the authorities for publishing advertisements when there are allegations of fraud against it. Mr. Dissanayaka had said when allegations are aimed against a state enterprise an accepted procedure should be followed to investigate such allegations.

All Ceylon Bank Employees Union has also revealed that the contract for 100 ATM machines, 100 cash depositing machines and 100 ‘KOISK’ machines has been given to  ‘Just in time’, the local agent for the controversial ‘Silverlake’ company from Malaysia. This transaction is being carried out outside the ‘Digital Banking’ project.