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Ministry overturns Cabinet’s award to State-owned Co.
View(s):A large portion of the Rs 90 million tender for the supply and delivery of fishing nets has been awarded to several private companies, contrary to Cabinet decision to award the tender solely, to a Treasury-owned company.
A joint Cabinet note was submitted to Cabinet by the Ministers of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Mahinda Amaraweera and Minister of Prison Reforms, Rehabilitation and Resettlement D.M. Swaminathan in August this year, as per a decision to purchase the fishnet products from the 100% Treasury-owned company, North Sea Ltd (NSL), for the benefit of the fishing sector.
However, this week, the Director General of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources announced that the Procurement Committee of the Dept has approved the awarding of the fishing nets tender to several private companies, with the State-owned company getting a minor portion.
NSL was awarded the tender to supply only to the value of around Rs 6.7 million, while four private companies were awarded the tender to provide the rest of the fishing net requirements.
Secretary to the Minority of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Mangalika Adikari said the tender for the supply of fishing nets had been called prior to the Cabinet decision to purchase the equipment from NSL.
Meanwhile, Chairman of NSL, T. Parmeshwaran said the State-owned company is in a position to supply the entire requirements of fishnets to the Dept of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources.
“The locally manufactured nets are of a superior quality and they are affordable and reasonable,” he said.
He said the NSL products were ISO certified in 2009 and the factories making the nets provide employment to over 300 persons, and could be further improved if the Government awards it a bigger share of the tender or, even the authority to be the sole provider.
NSL now operates under the Ministry of Prison Reforms, Rehabilitation and Resettlement.
(CK)