The Hon. Bimal Rathnayake

¶ 01 What I am asking relates to the established checkpoints and approval barriers in the process. I will also speak about Standing Orders. If the process had 100 steps, those 100 steps remained.

¶ 02 On procurement: first, the Lanka Coal Company (Pvt.) Ltd. prepares a Master Procurement Plan based on the country’s power needs and Norochcholai’s monthly intake. Hon. Sujeewa, please—if someone knowledgeable rises, I will yield, but you are not familiar with this; you often speak on anything. Please allow me to continue. The Master Plan is prepared by Lanka Coal Company, not by Minister Jayakody or the Ministry. That has not been changed.

¶ 03 Second, after the Master Plan, the Bid Evaluation Committee and the Special High-level Procurement Committee carry out their functions. These are appointed by the Cabinet. They are government officials. To my recollection, the Secretary to the Environment Ministry chaired part of it. They evaluate the bids. No Minister is involved in that evaluation.

¶ 04 After completing procurement approvals, a delivery schedule is prepared by the Lanka Coal Company. When approving that schedule, the Ministry Secretary participates, and the Minister may also be involved if necessary, but the designated official is the Ministry Secretary. Next, the length of the bidding period—whether 30 days, some other period, 100 days, or 15 days—is decided by the Special High-level Procurement Committee.

¶ 05 Some people think Customs belongs to the Port because it operates inside the Port; similarly, people may get confused here. But after appointing Special High-level Procurement Committees, other parties have little to do with those decisions. Then legal clearance is required because these are large-value procurements—millions, billions—so Attorney General’s clearance is obtained. Afterwards, the selected company is awarded the tender by the Cabinet, upon reviewing the full record. Only after award does the supplier ship. Those are the main steps.

¶ 06 Beyond that, after award, the company ships coal; there is the chain from loading port to Colombo; this process—has any one of these stages been changed? That is what I asked. You have not shown that anywhere in your speeches.