News
Govt. defends opening of new embassy despite closing down several missions
By Shamindra Ferdinando
The Foreign Affairs Ministry strongly defended its decision to set up a new diplomatic mission in Bucharest, Romania, on the basis it could help Sri Lanka generate revenue through what the Public Diplomacy Division of the Foreign Ministry called, safe and legal labour migration.
Priyanga Wickramasinghe, Director, PDD, said so in response to The Island query as to why the Foreign Ministry proposed a new diplomatic mission against the backdrop of closing down of several overseas missions, due to the forex crisis.
The Island sought an explanation, having pointed out that Sri Lanka HC in Nigeria, its embassy in Norway, Consulates in Germany, Cyprus as well as Sydney, Australia, were closed down before the change of government took place in July last year.
Responding to another query, the official said that the Foreign Affairs Ministry recently received the go ahead from the Sectoral Oversight Committee on International Relations. In fact, the parliamentary committee instructed the Foreign Affairs Ministry to expedite the opening of the embassy as all related formalities have been completed.
In the wake of Sri Lanka’s announcement on the closing of its mission in Oslo, Norway declared that it would terminate its mission in Colombo at the end of July, this year.
Parliament said that the Sectoral Oversight Committee on International Relations, chaired by Namal Rajapaksa, MP, discussed the issue at hand with the Foreign Affairs Ministry. Lawmakers Niroshan Perera, Mayantha Dissanayake, Akila Ellawala, Yadamini Gunawardena, and Dr. Harini Amarasuriya were present.
According to the Director, PPD, the Foreign Affairs Ministry has received Cabinet approval to establish a mission in Romania, in October, 2020, in the wake of the last general election.
Pointing out that Romania upgraded the status of its mission in Colombo to a full-fledged Embassy in 2017, the Ministry said establishing an embassy there would be a reciprocal, goodwill gesture on the part of Sri Lanka. That would give new momentum to the bilateral engagement and help consolidate multifaceted cooperation with the EU member.
Asserting that the number of Sri Lankans working, could be as many as 40,000, and the number of registered is approximately 15,000, the Ministry described Romania as the most attractive and accessible labour destination for Sri Lankans in the EU – from skilled to low-skilled (blue-collar) job categories in the IT, hospitality, construction and agri-business/agriculture and apparel sectors.
Romania has become quite an attractive destination for Sri Lankans, since 2016, the Ministry said.
The Ministry said with the increase in the number of Sri Lankans there, the mission in Warsaw, Poland, concurrently accredited to Romania, found it difficult to address consular issues (employment-related issues/job losses/employer/employee complaints) hence the need for a mission in Bucharest.
Against the backdrop of the EU funding granted to Romania for infrastructure development projects (hospitals, housing, railways, highways, renewable energy, etc.), the Ministry expected to push for a larger share of the non-EU foreign labour market. The Ministry expressed confidence in securing as many as 10,000 jobs there, annually.
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
