Will power made me change my destiny

by Surekha GALAGODA

We are a strong Sri Lankan Consultancy company competing with multi national giants in the international arena and employ many professionally and technically qualified Quantity Surveyors at Milcris, said its CEO Milan De Silva.

Mallika, son Minol and Milan De Silva. Picture by Sumanaschandra Ariyawansa

The CEO said that as a Sri Lankan company, we are young but rich with resources. Based in Oman as a branch of a Sri Lankan company it is handling the Cost Consultancy and Quantity Surveying Services of the prestigious land mark Project of the Development of the Muscat and Salalah International Airports valued at over US$ 4.5 bn. 'We are the cost consultant and the Quantity surveyors for the lead consultant Cowi Larsen JV. A total of 35 QS are working on site in this massive project and 34 of them are Sri Lankans.

De Silva who started life as a cook is humble to say so and he believes that with will power and the blessings of God as well as the support of his loving wife Mallika he is what he is today.

Reminiscing about his past he said I went to Oman 25 years ago as a cook for a salary of Rs. 7,500. My plan was to return after two years, but fate decided otherwise. My dream was to be an engineer but since I concentrated on drama I couldn't enter university and fulfill my dream. An old boy of De Mazenod College and Galahitiyawa Central De Silva, instead became a cook and was attached to the Oberoi and was among the first batch of cooks who joined Taj Samudra.

A one minute meeting with a friend of him who was a Quantity Surveyor(QS) changed all his plans. He went back to Oman and sat for the City and Guilds Exam conducted by British Council and got through.

Though I was qualified I couldn't find a job as everybody knew me only as a cook. I was determined to get experience and I worked part time at AL Thurki Enterprises as a junior QS without a pay for six months. After six months I started a restaurant, but unfortunately I had to close it down after six months.

He also sat for the estimating exams conducted by City and Guilds and got through and he was offered the post of Assistant Quantity Surveyor at Al Thurki Enterprises. Then onwards there was no turning back, where he was offered higher posts. During this time he worked as a QS as well as a senior QS and Chief QS. I always looked for opportunities as I wanted to develop. During this time I got an opportunity to work for the government of Oman where I got an opportunity to work for His Majesty's Diwan of the Royal Courts as a Senior QS. It was then that I decided to start my own QS company and the plan was to start with Quantity Surveying. I was asked to work on a Royal VVIP villa and within six months this VVIP became my partner. We are presently working on the biggest project in the history of Oman.

Our company, Milcris has a different corporate culture. We have a dress code to project the image of the profession and all male employees wear neck ties. We encourage our employees to speak in English as that is the language in which transact our business and we prefer to communicate in one international language as our employees are from diverse ethnic groups and multi cultural. We have introduced a special Continuation of Professional Development programs and have in house a fully equipped dedicated training centre and a technical library.

The company provides financial assistance in the form of scholarships for their higher studies. If we give an increment they use that money to build a house or some other personal matter.

Therefore, the scholarships are given to encourage them to further their level of education and expertise so that they themselves can advance in their chosen career. In addition the company conducts English classes, Elocution, Grammar as well as training even on table manners and social etiquette.

My company is focused on providing a quality service to my clients. We are now on the verge of getting ISO 9000/2008 certification. Our turnover exceeds S.L. Rs. 500mn and our employees collectively remit over S.L. Rs. 200mn per annum to Sri Lanka, said De Silva. Our Company is actually an exporter of Professional services.

We as a Sri Lankan Company would endeavour to contribute to our country's development by providing employment to Sri Lankans as well as remitting much needed foreign exchange to our country.

It is my desire, if an opportunity is provided to contribute to the North and East, said De Silva. We in addition to the Airport Project have several other projects such as Universities, Townships and Commercial and Residential complexes. We are contemplating in expanding to other GCC countries in the very near future.

The Basic salary of a staffer ranges between 100,000-2.5 mn per month depending on qualifications and experience and their package includes return air ticket, vehicles, housing with furniture, children's school fees, family medical facilities as well as a life insurance ranging from 1.5 mn to 3 mn. depends, of course on the position. Incidentally, we are the highest pay master in this profession in Muscat. The blessings of our staff helps us to grow. When inquired about growing to a stature, he said 'I will never allow the company to grow beyond measure as money is not everything. We have policies and will maintain standards.

At present our company is engaged in cost consultancy and the provision of a wide array of Professional services. But plans are a foot to diversify into other areas of business including IT in Muscat.

He said one day we will settle down in Sri Lanka. There were no opportunities for us in Sri Lanka and that is the reason as to why we didn't stay.

De Silva is planning to expand his business ties with Sri Lanka and he thinks that this is the best time as there are many opportunities after the war. He said, that there is great potential for Sri Lankans to do business with Oman and it is necessary to establish a trade section as it will further strengthen the ties between the countries.

De Silva and his family believe in one philosophy - honesty. We can do business honestly and achieve our goals, said De Silva eldest in a family of seven. He is the father of two boys and a girl.

Always try to say yes to a request made by a person and it will change the destiny, said De Silva who practises what he preaches and most of all whose destiny has been changed by the kindness of three lovely people.

The ever grateful De Silva said that Harrison Peiris, Professor Chitra Wedikkara and His Highness Seyyid Shihab bin Tariq Al Said are the people who never said know to him for which he is very grateful.

'Look at the brighter side of life as it will help you to see different opportunities,' he said.