New chairman promises profitability at State Printing Corp. by end 2018

Binara Jayawardena assuming duties as the new Chairman of State Printing Corporation on Monday, in the presence of Western Province Minister Gamini Thilakasiri, senior officers of the Corporation and family members - Pic by Upul Abayasekara 

By Rahel Kirinde

Newly appointed State Printing Corporation (SPC) President Binara Jayawardena on Monday was optimistic that the incessantly loss making SPC would be earning profits by the end of this year.

Jayawardena was speaking at the SPC office in Padukka after being appointed by Education Minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam and assuming duties as the new chairman.

“The SPC already has the potential to make profits; it is improper management that has led to incessant losses,” stressed Jayawardena. He added that he would be taking immediate action to evaluate the cause of losses in each department and find a solution to the main causes of losses which include lack of supply to cater to demand and avoidable costs due to material wastage.

He had assured that no employees would be sacked from the SPC during its quest to cut losses and that they will in fact focus on using existing resources and increasing productivity of employees to increase profits.

The new chairman also disclosed that he would be taking action to digitalise the corporation’s internal operations within a month.

“The internal processes of the administration are done manually; we will be connecting all management processes to a central system whereby all outlets and stores will be directly linked to the administration,” said Jayawardena. He noted that until now a hand written system had been followed. Speaking about employees Jayawardena further mentioned that no immediate changes would be made to the structure of functions related to employees but that he would subsequently look into it as well. “Right now our main focus is on turning losses into profits; it will be so until the end of this year,” Jayawardena reiterated. The SPC was established in 1989 through the State Printing Corporation Act No. 8 of 1968 and is the sole printer of public school text books and lotteries. It currently has 750 permanent employees and 60 workers on contract basis.

Binara Jayawardena is also the current deputy chairman of District 306 C-2 Lions Club.