Simmering row led to mass resignation of BOI board
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Mr. Sanjaya Mohottala
A simmering row between Board of Investment (BOI) senior management and other senior government officials over a multitude of issues including costly expenses and recruiting professionals at high salaries led to the entire board quitting this week.
While BOI Chairman Sanjaya Mohottala and Director General (DG) Pasan Wanigasekera were among those who resigned, there was mixed signals as to their current status. One highly-placed source said that it was the President’s office that has called for their resignations while another source said that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had not accepted the resignations and had asked them to remain. While Mr. Mohottala was appointed in December 2020 moving up from his post as DG, Mr. Wanigasekera was appointed in January 2020 at the BOI which comes under the President.
BOI board members Dr. Sanjaya Kulatunga, Dr. Harsha Subasinghe, Jayamin Pelpola and Dr. Harsha Cabraal – all prominent personalities – stepped down presumably in opposition to their integrity being questioned by the Parliamentary Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) at a recent meeting. This could not be independently checked as these members could not be reached for comment.
Mr. Pasan Wanigasekera
In recent weeks, the BOI has faced criticism over efforts to undergo a costly renovation of a current floor at the World Trade Centre Office that it occupies and initiate a plan to recruit 29 new officers in charge of promotion at high salaries. COPE also raised these issues during a meeting with BOI officials
The BOI defended both moves saying that the recruitment drive had been approved by the Cabinet, adding in a statement: “Professionals who would be recruited to this unit would need to possess deep business knowledge, international exposure, and a proven track record of identified private sector-based industry and domain specific skills, in addition to professional and academic qualifications.”
It said to accommodate these new recruits therefore, part of the 27th floor was identified, as it was a space that was sparsely occupied. This floor was however in a state of dilapidation, worn out and requiring a much-needed facelift.
The BOI has been summoned for another meeting with COPE and this may have provoked the decision by the board members to quit. Over 850 BOI employees have signed a petition against the Chairman and other directors condemning their present activities.
The unions were also opposed to the payment of salaries ranging from Rs. 150,000 to Rs.600,000 to the newcomers and said these appointments could have been made from the present cadre, which was hotly contested by the BOI senior management saying that these posts required special skills and expertise.
Unions and other senior government officials had complained about BOI decisions to President’s Secretary Dr. P.B. .Jayasundera who was also highly critical about the present state of affairs, informed sources revealed.
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