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Promotions galore in cluster bus companies
Labourers a non-existent grade
By Santhush Fernando
A string of allegedly irregular appointments in state-run cluster bus companies which had been made during the previous regime has been detected by a committee appointed to probe their activities.

An interim report has been submitted by a five-member committee which has looked into unlawful appointments in these bus companies. Transport Ministry sources told The Sunday Times that the interim report covers 16,000 of the over 36,000 strong workforce of the cluster bus companies.

The committee is also in the process of computerising data of all employees of the companies. The committee appointed in terms of a circular issued on April 23, is under the purview of Deputy Transport Minister Lasantha Alagiyawanna. It was originally been given six weeks to probe all appointments, recruitment, transfers and promotions, but had submitted only an interim report due to the complexity of the problem.

Ministry sources said all details contained in the report has to be validated by the Ministry at depot level. All cluster bus companies are reported to be in a chaotic state due to irregular appointments and also because the director board has not yet being appointed to any of the bus companies.

Reportedly there isn't a single labourer in any of the 11 cluster bus companies as all labourers have been given ad-hoc promotions as technicians. Technicians and drivers had been promoted as foremen and foremen, in turn, had been promoted as engineers. Even bus conductors are reported to have been given promotions as depot managers.

There also seems to be a serious dearth of conductors and drivers as almost all have been promoted, specially in the Wayamba Bus Company. Ministry sources said around 1000 vacancies for drivers and conductors exist at present.

The same sources also said between 1,500 and 3,000 irregular appointments have been obtained by intimidation and other irregular ways after the April 2 General Election. The committee has also looked into around 5,000 irregular promotions which had been made between December 2001 and April 2004.

Although the committee does not have the authority to look into appointments of high post such as chairmen and directors of bus companies, reportedly several such irregular appointments have taken place. According to the Memorandum of Articles of the companies approval has to be got from the Finance Ministry Secretary for such appointments.

Although Finance Secretary P. B. Jayasundara is the sole authority in making appointments, a political appointee, one Wimalaratne had reportedly been appointed as a Working Director of the Ruhunu Bus Company, even though there is no such designation in the company.

Although appointments as Chairman should be done with the concurrence of the Finance Secretary, Malraj Peiris and one Buddhadasa have been appointed as the Chairmen of Wayamba and Ruhunu Bus Company respectively reportedly without his approval.

Commenting on the issue Transport Minister Felix Perera told The Sunday Times that at present he had stopped such practices and made sure that no unlawful appointments are being given. He said that a six month short term Strategic Action Plan for Land Transportation (excluding Railways) is being implemented to make road transport more efficient.

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