Inordinate delay in launch of Rs. 12 bn. project blamed on Health Ministry

Saman

by Shamindra Ferdinando-December 30, 2016

Multi-bn rupee tender for the construction of a special nurses' training facility hasn't been awarded in 2016 in spite of the yahapalana government allocating Rs 2 and half bn for the project.

Government Nursing Officers' Association (GNOA) President Saman Ratnapriya has blamed the Health and Indigenous Medicine Ministry for the inordinate delay in finalizing the tender process.

Addressing the media at the Centre for Society and Religion (CSR), Maradana on Thursday (Dec 29), Ratnapriya alleged that those who had been handling the project weren't able to award the contract, though there were many rounds of discussions.

The accusation was made at the media briefing called by the Left Centre, a civil society grouping which campaigned for Maithripala Sirisena at the last presidential poll in January 2015.

Speaking on behalf of the GNOA, a constituent of the Left Centre, Ratnapriya said that the UNP-SLFP coalition had allocated Rs two and half bn in 2016 and a further Rs I bn in 2017.

Ratnapriya admitted that the GNOA hadn't been able to convince the ministry in spite of constant reminders. The trade unionist quoted senior ministry officials as having said at a recent meeting that the tender could be awarded in August 2017.

Ratnapriya said that the total cost of the proposed project would be Rs 12 bn and it was meant to train nurses for local and foreign hospitals.

The yahapalana government hadn't been able to put in place a scheme to finalize tender procedures within three months, though a promise was made to that effect.

Development efforts had been badly hampered for want of an efficient decision making process, Ratnapriya said, pointing that such delays were rampant.

 The GNOA President urged the government to accelerate and streamline the process to bring in efficiency to the public sector.