News
2019 tax amendments not the sole reason for economic crisis – Attygalle
By Saman Indrajith
It was unreasonable to claim that the country had lost nearly Rs. 500 billion due to the change in tax policies of the new government, Former Secretary to the Ministry of Finance S. R Attygalle said at a meeting of the Committee on Public Finance held in Parliament June 08, under the chairmanship of Anura Priyadarshana Yapa.Attygalle said the revenue loss had been caused by import restrictions, including the suspension of the import of vehicles, and the economic contraction caused by the Covid pandemic.
The former Treasury Secretary said that those decisions, regarding tax policies, had been taken in keeping with the first Cabinet Paper presented by the former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa on 04 December 2019.Former Secretary to the President, Dr. P.B Jayasundara, former Secretary to the Ministry of Finance S. R. Attygalle, former Governor of the Central Bank Ajith Nivard Cabraal, former members of the Monetary Board, current Governor of the Central Bank Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe and other senior officials of the Central Bank were summoned before the Committee Meeting.
The Members of the Finance Committee were of the view that when a Cabinet Paper was presented, there should be a background note and a report on the subject matter and that the officials in charge of the subject should take responsibility for those documents.The Committee was of the view that decisions should have been taken after a thorough study by the Central Bank and the Ministry of Finance.The Members of the Committee inquired whether any of the economists and professionals had submitted a report to the Monetary Board with regard to the monetary policy decisions taken by the political authority.
Former Secretary to the President Dr. P.B. Jayasundara said that such decisions would be tabled in Parliament and then referred to Committees.Members of the Committee again asked whether the economists and professionals had informed their superiors of the incorrect policy decisions taken by the political authorities.The current Governor of the Central Bank Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe said that responsible government officials should refrain from engaging in politics and that the difference between a politician and an official should be properly recognised. He said that it was the responsibility and duty of the officials to inform the politicians when they were not correct and the politicians alone were not responsible for the consequences of such decisions.
The Committee was told that although they had told the responsible officials and the then political authorities on various occasions about the possible side effects of such policies, no one had paid attention to them.The Chairman of the Committee Anura Priyadarshana Yapa MP emphasised that the relationship between the officials of the Central Bank and the Parliament should be enhanced and a proper communication process should be established when making important decisions pertaining to the country.
Accordingly, the Chairman of the Committee stated that the discussion would be held again on 17 June as further discussions were required in that regard.Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa, Dr. Nalaka Godahewa, M.A. Sumanthiran, Mujibur Rahuman, Dr. Suren Raghavan, Gamini Waleboda, Kanchana Wijesekera, Anupa Pasqual, Vijitha Herath, Pramitha Bandara Tennakoon, Indika Anuruddha, Isuru Dodangoda, Prof. Ranjith Bandara, Nalin Fernando and other officials were present at the committee meeting.
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
