News
Navy seizes 3,700 kilos of smuggled turmeric, apprehends 10 suspects
BY Norman Palihawadane
The Navy seized over 3,704 kilos of contraband dried turmeric during special operations conducted in coastal areas of South Bar and Irukkalampiddi and in seas south of Mannar on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
The Navy also took into custody four suspects along with a dinghy as well as six Indian nationals and an Indian dhow used for the smuggling.
The Navy has been conducting regular operations to curb smuggling activities taking place via sea routes. In one of operations, the Inshore Patrol Craft P 261 and P233 attached to the Northwestern Naval Command intercepted a suspicious Indian dhow in Sri Lankan waters via the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) and searched.
The search led to the detection of about 2,100 kilos of contraband dried turmeric in 60 sacks. Accordingly, the stock of dried turmeric along with the six Indian nationals aboard and the dinghy was taken into naval custody. It is suspected that the smugglers had planned to exchange dried turmeric brought by the Indian dhow to a local vessel mid sea to bring them ashore.
In a separate operation SLNS Gajaba of the North Central Naval Command, in the dark hours on 17th September in the lagoon area of South Bar, spotted a suspicious dinghy approaching the shore via South Bar lagoon. Following a search, the Navy seized around 866.2 kilos of dried turmeric in 20 sacks. In addition, the Navy also nabbed four suspects and took into custody the dinghy used to smuggle the consignment of tumeric.
In another operation carried out on Friday, a team of Marines attached to SLNS Gajaba in the North Central Naval Command seized a stock of dried turmeric in 22 sacks, immersed in Irukkampiddi lagoon. The consignment of turmeric weighed about 738.7 kilos with wet weight.
The Indian nationals along with the stock of dried turmeric and the Indian dhow, taken into custody in the seas south of Mannar, are to be handed over to the Sinnapadu Customs Prevention Office to institute legal action.
Meanwhile, the suspects arrested in South Bar were identified as residents of Mannar. The suspects were handed over to the Mannar Public Health Inspector to be quarantined. Another stock of dried turmeric and the dinghy held in these operations have been kept in naval custody until they are produced in court.
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
