Association of Sri Lankan Graduates from Socialist Countries Established in 1966

Vol. 3: No. 3 October – December 2005

bamboo pipes located/fitted at an angle, on the ASLGSC periphery of the wheel at regular intervals, collects water from the river, and discharges at a level Annual General Meeting determined for irrigation. The flow of river water turns the wheel. About 100 person-days are required for & the Dinner manufacture and could be used for one season, due to The 39th Annual General Meeting was held at the flooding during rainy season and deterioration of ASLGSC Office at 9.30 am on Saturday the 29th wood/bamboo utilized. October 2005. The Annual Dinner was held on the Water-wheels same day at the Continental Hotel, Colombo, where over 200 members and their guests including a great number of children participated. It was quite evident that the members and the guests alike (old and young) enjoyed the dinner and the

Hydraulic Civilization serves Humanity

The whole world is aware of the contribution of water and its energy for the benefit of the human beings in this planet. Many developed and developing countries (Egypt, P.R.China, India, Sri Lanka and many others) have a long history of using water for: irrigation purposes, water supplies, hydropower and other practical uses.

Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR-Laos) ia a land locked developing country, surrounded by Thailand, Myanmar, P.R.China, Vietnam and Cambodia. Laos has a population of around 5.5 mi. inhabitants with a land area of 234,000 sq. km. About 80 % of the population lives in rural areas, engaged in susbsistence agriculture, concentrating in paddy cultivation,rice is the staple diet of the population.

Houaphanh is one of northern provinces, having high mountains, with limited area for paddy cultivation, confined to river valleys, but situated about 6 to 8 m above the river water level. Cold climate restricts paddy cultivation to one season per year, compelling local Water energy has been widely used for paddy communities to use their ingenuity to lift river water to pounding/grinding of rice, scare birds from agriculture 8 m for paddy cultivation. fields and for generation of electricity for house In Houaphanh province, there are hundreds of water- lighting, by using micro-hydro generators/turbines (of wheels, locally called "Khongpat Nam" to lift water to 0.5 to 5 kW) installed in small streams. heights of 8 m. Photograph attached shows a water Contributed by Dr. Mahinda Kurukulasuriya wheel of 7 m diameter, manufactured by using locally UN Consultant in Laos available wood, bamboo and other materials. Pieces of 1 transparency can be maintained throughout the tender ASLGSC Office Bearers procedure. Preparation of specifications 2005 - 2006 The organization should prepare general specifications President: Dr. Hector Weerasinghe for almost all the major items commonly used by the Imm. Past President: Mr. U.D. Perera organization and publish annually and also publish the Vice President: Mr. Jaliya Dharmasena approved list of manufacturers of major items used by Vice President: Mr. Lal Ranasinghe the organization regularly. The CEO of the organization Secretary: Mr. Tissa Liyanage should issue directives to the relevant officials and the Asst. Secretary: Dr. Suresh Karunarathna consultants that they should not deviate from the Treasurer: Dr. W.G.S. Kelum specifications approved and accepted by the Asst. Treasurer: Mr. Thilak Alahakoon organization and the list of approved manufacturers when they prepare specifications for any new tenders. If Committee members: an organization wants to deviate from the accepted Mr. Winston Rupasinghe Mr. K.G.J. Bandara procedures then they must inform the proposed changes Mr. U.W.L. Chandradasa Mr. Somapala de Silva to the Contractors Association of Sri Lanka and educate Mr. R.D. Gunapala Mr. Newton Karunaratne them and obtain their consent before implementing it. Mr. W.A. Karunaratne Mr. R.A. Nandasena As indicated in the Government Tender Procedure the Mr. Pradeep Kariyawasam Mr. Gamini Zoysa organizations should not try to eliminate competitors by Mr. Anil Jasinghe Dr. G. Weerasinghe introducing unnecessary stringent specifications, but try Mr. Bandula Samarasekara to accommodate more competitors by introducing only the necessary specifications for the particular contract. Administrative Secretary: Mr. D.P.A.L. Rupasiri Preparation of Conditions of Contracts The organizations should prepare conditions of contracts to suits the local conditions and to match with the ICTAD conditions or with the FIDIC conditions How to Minimize Corruption which could be easily implemented in this country without hampering the quality or discriminating local in the Public Sector contractors. After preparation of the conditions of In the public sector corruption could be minimized if contracts proper publicity should be given and a certain certain basic changes are done to the present systems time period should be given for any interested parties to taken in to consideration the development taking place make their observations, comments and proposals for in various sectors such as communication and any improvements to the documents for the benefit of computerization. In the public sector confidential the country. things are marketable and there is a cost for confidential After finalization of the documents the organization things and it depends on the demand. Today majority of should give clear instructions to the implementing the public officers are corrupt because there are no officials and the consultants (if any) to follow the genuine impartial organizations to control or investigate approved conditions without any changes. Due to any these corrupt practices. There are volumes of circulars special requirements if any necessity arises for a change and directives issued by the authorities in the public of the conditions in a particular contract the changes sector to control corruption, but it is very sad to notice could be arranged after giving due publicity and that the majority of the most senior officials who are specially informing the interested parties. This authorized and empowered to arrest the corruption are procedure will improve the response from bidders and also corrupt. the bidders will not face any surprises and the foreign In the construction industry corruption starts with the consultants will not be able to produced contract preparation of the estimates, specifications, contract documents by photo copping documents prepared and conditions and also the appointment of the evaluation used in other countries. committee and the tender board. Appointment of Technical Evaluation Committee Preparation of the Estimate The organization should divide their technical staff who After preparation of the estimate the organization keeps are capable of handling evaluation of tenders in to at this estimate as a confidential document, but certain least five groups depending on their positions, eg., (A) future bidders who could establish cordial relationship Additional / Deputy General Managers, (B) Assistant with the relevant officials of the organization could General Managers, (C) Chief Engineers, (D) Senior obtain these confidential documents and establish a Engineers and (F) Accountants. When an evaluation competitive position over the other bidders. It is a well committee is appointed the chair person should be known fact that the public sector cannot keep secrets, as appointed from an out side organization, but the such it is advisable to issue the estimate prepared by the convener should be appointed from the category (A). organization, with the tender documents and by this For the financial evaluation a member should be appointed from the category (F) and at least two 2 members should be from the categories (B), (C) and (D) Month of December is always a busy one with with only one member from one category. Proper everybody having their year ending parties and it was records have to be maintained with regard to all and not different for the ASLGSC. The members living in each member should be given equal opportunities as far the US, Europe and particularly down under select as practicable. The officials who are responsible for the December to visit their beloved motherland and we documentation and the execution of the contract should poor souls living here have to be ready for them. This not be included in the evaluation committee as far as year was no different. We had Dr. G. Karunaratna possible. The political appointees of the Boards of having flown from the United States with his son on a Management should not be allowed to interfere in the very short holiday, who insisted that he should host the tender evaluation activities but their views may be December dinner and what an occasion was it with the taken into consideration by the tender board if there is a raffle draw organized by our Percy falling on the same benefit to the country. day that was December 31st night! Appointment of Tender Boards (Cabinet There were members who shuttled from their own Appointed Tender Boards) places of partying the year end to the ASLGSC Head The present method of appointing Cabinet Appointed quarters (among them was yours truly) as they were Tender Boards with in-service secretaries of ministries obliged to be at both places and I must say that the is suitable as they are officials not on contract basis and event at the HQ of the ASLGSC was a great success. also not political appointees. Therefore they are We never forget our guys from down under who always answerable to the government. Furthermore, they are support us no matter what. Sarath Wijesoma was there the chief accounting officers of the respective with his wife who came this year only for merry ministries. However, the appointment has to be done making, having fulfilled most of his parental duties, on the basis of the designation of the officer and then wanted his place to be the place of reckoning. He there is no need of appointing officials3 when any invited us to his place and it was a memorable evening. individual officer retires or takes long leave as the officer covering duties of that post could attend to the Our famous bard, Sarath Fernando who had come from duties in his place as a member of the Tender Board. New Zealand drove all the way from Negombo with his guitar and the better half. There was Hemantha and As all members of some of the tender boards are non- Lalith from Australia and long lost Mahinda Peiris had technical officials it is appropriate to get the advice come from the United Kingdom. With the singing of from the CEO of the organization, provided that the golden oldies the party continued to the midnight. CEO is a technically competent officer and a non- political appointee. Appointment of Tender Boards in Ministries, Boards and Corporations The chairperson of the main tender board of boards and corporations should be the chief executive officer (CEO) of the organization. As the CEO is a permanent employee, he is accountable and responsible to the relevant organization, ministry and to the treasury. In the case of ministries, the chairperson of the main tender board would be the Secretary, who will be responsible to the Ministry and to the Treasury. Issue of Tender Documents At present most of the tender documents are prepared Sarath Fernando playing a tune. using computers and hard copies are issued to the The following day the visitors were taken to the country bidders. It is more advantages to the prospective bidders house of Winston Rupasingha to enjoy another day out and also to the organization if soft copies along with the with customary bath at the well named after “Rasputin” hard copies are released to the bidders on payments. and a delicious meal prepared with all the culinary When soft copies are available with the bidders, they expertise of Winston. It was also the time to say “Do can provide very competitive bids by collecting Svidaniya” as all of them were to leave to their necessary information within a short period of time destinations shortly. using computers for preparation of working drawings and bills of quantities, and using Email facilities to Contributed by K.G.J. Bandara collect information from local or foreign suppliers and contractors. Sent by Mr. W.A. Karunarathne Visitors of the Season Kuli (nariya) 3 I am quite certain that some of our members are interested in tasting the Russian dishes which they enjoyed years back during their university life in Russia. I am forwarding a few recipes from my collection though K. nariya is not my subject. These are genuine ones which have been tried with local ingredients and obtained successful results. They are not the ones coming to you from the Rampart road area where the coconut fibre (lanu) industry is well developed. So you may try these and enjoy the taste without any hesitation. Simple Vegetable Salad (chilled) Ingredients in grams: Tomato 80; Gherkins 45; Onion leaves 15-20; Salad topping 30-35; Celery, parsley 20- 25. Thoroughly wash the vegetables and green leaves with fresh water and keep them in water added with a pinch of salt for 5 to 10 minutes, again wash them with fresh water and use. Cut the small sized tomatoes into quarters, slice the gherkins to a thickness of 2-3mm and put them into a salad bowl. Do not use large gherkins normally available in the market as their skin (peel) is too thick and the fruit gives a bitter taste. Always pick young Dancing to the beat of Lalin & the Star ones, below 7-8 cm. Cut green leaves – onion leaves, Combination celery, sprig parsley, salad leaves into 1 cm or less in length. Spread the cut green leaves over tomatoes and gherkins and add the salad topping over the vegetables. Chill the salad for about 30 minutes before serving. Do not use imported salad toppings available in the market and use the traditional Russian salad topping given below. You may use the imported ones if desired but it won’t be the original Russian salad. Salad topping (Two sets of ingredients for the salad topping are given below and you may use the one according to your taste). Use only artificial vinegar and not the coconut vinegar. Sunflower oil 125 125 Vinegar 125 250 Sugar 10 10 Salt 05 05 Await the next issue for more delicious recipes from K. (nariya) … Contributed by Leslie S. Gamage ASLGSC AGM in session

Editors: Geethi Karunaratne, Winston Rupasinghe and KGJ Bandara

ASLGSC Published by the Association of Sri Lankan Graduates from Socialist Countries Page 4 139, D.P. Wijesinghe Mawatha, Pelawatta, Battaramulla Website: www.aslgsc.org