Checking a faulty water meter
My assignment under this unusual reporting exercise was to check out the service at the National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB) head office at Ratmalana, the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) Deputy General Managers Office at Ratmalana and the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA).
Just as I was about to enter the NWSDB office at around 8.00 am on Tuesday, a tough looking security guard attached to the LRDC security company manning the gate stopped me and asked, “where are you going?. Whom do you want to meet?”
I told him that “I came to make a complaint about my water bill.”
He asked me to sit and wait at the guard room till 8.30 am as the office hours are from 8.30 am to 4.30 pm.
At 8.30 am after the end of the recital of national anthem, the security guard told me to go inside the office and asked for the public complaints section or the consumer service section.
The receptionist showed me a room at the ground floor of the NWSDB office. I was greeted by the lady officer manning the division in a very polite manner, asking me to sit down on a chair in front of her.
What can I do for you sir, she asked.
I told her that during the past three months my water bill payment has risen in an unrealistic manner because there are only three members in our family and we don’t waste water.
Lady Officer: Normally the water bill is little bit high now after the recent hike. But in your case it may be due to a defect in the water meter, or a water leak in the pipe line, a tap or commode.
BS: How can I rectify this matter?
Officer: You will have to make a written complaint at the nearest branch office of the NWSDB and they will fix a detection meter to find as to whether your meter is defective or not. With regard to the water leak you can check it for yourself by taking dwn the current reading of the meter before going to sleep and check the reading soon after you got up early in the morning. If there is a change in the reading, then it was a water leak definitely.
(She also gave me the address of the Piliyandala NWSDB and her telephone number for further clarifications and inquiries).
I thanked her and she also said thank you and come again. I left the NWSDB office at around 8.40 am.
New electricity connection
On the same day, I visited the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) Deputy General Managers Office at Ratmalana as it was located in close proximity to the NWSDB office.
At the CEB office, a security guard directs me to the bill payment section, when I told him that I wanted to find out how I could apply for new electricity connection for my newly built house
The time was at around 9.00 am, there were five people lined up to pay their electricity bills near the counter.
I entered the duty officer’s room manned by a middle aged officer.
Duty Officer: sit down, what is your problem? (He has a fri).
BS: I have built a house in Piliyandala and I want to get electricity connection. How can I get a new connection?
Officer: We are handling bill payments and electricity supply in the Western Province south. Your house is located outside our area. Therefore you will have to make your application to the Kappawatte Ratmalana office. It is located on the road adjoining Ratmalana airport. Anyway I will give you an application for new electricity connection. Fill it and hand over it to the branch office.
He gave me an application form and the address of the Ratmalana office. When I left the room I saw three more people waiting outside patiently to meet the duty officer.
Tourism: Service with a smile
My next visit was to Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA).
Time 9.45 am on Tuesday Oct 23
Place: SLTDA reception desk
A lady receptionist welcomes me with a smile saying good morning sir,
BS: One of my foreign friends wants me to find out as to how he could invest in a small hotel project in Sri Lanka. From where can I get this information?
Receptionist: There is a centralized promotion and facilitation centre. You can get all the information there.
She directed me to the relevant unit located in the same building.
I met another lady officer at the facilitation unit and inquired on how a foreign friend could invest in a small hotel project in the country.
Officer: Our unit will provide all information for all types of tourism related investments and ensure interested parties have easy access either through meetings, telephone, email or teleconference (skype). We also provide details on existing investment opportunities, lands available, projects commenced and tourism a new registration.
At the Registar of Companies.
The receptionist directs me to the office where the necessary application forms are handled.
An officer, who was busy with his routine work, greets me while continuing his work.
BS: I came to get some information on how to register my new company. Can you help me?
Officer; Yes of course, what you will have to do is to obtain the name approval first filling the form A and hand over it to the office making a payment of Rs. 560. Within two days we will approve the name of the company. After obtaining the name approval, Form No.1, 18, and 19 together with two copies of Articles of Association should be prepared (on A4 paper). All forms should be printed or typewritten.. Hand written forms will not be accepted.
BS: What are these forms 1,18, 19?
Officer: Form 1 – registration of a company, Form 18 – consent and certificate of director, Form 19 – consent and certificate of secretary / secretaries. I will explain the procedure soon after you get the name approval.
He handed over the yellow form for the application for name approval and asked me to contact him if there are any other clarifications giving his mobile telephone number and his name.
Comment: Sri Lanka’s public sector institutions were places of prestige and honour in the past where officials including the peons behaved like lords when people approached them to obtain public services from them.
There was a long felt need to change their attitude to make them understand that they are being paid to serve the people.
However according to my observations this official mindset is gradually disappearing from many public sector institutions at present and a polite service culture is emerging.
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