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Military medical teams played a key role in mitigating the spread of Covid-19 By conducting quarantine programs
With dedication and fearless commitment, military medical teams assisted the government by conducting quarantine programs to mitigate the spread of coronavirus outbreak in the country, Defence Secretary Maj. Gen. (Retd) Kamal Gunaratne said.
He said tri-services medical teams had proven their credibility of treating and saving the lives of wounded combatants throughout the Eelam war as the first respondents to any form of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations, locally or overseas.
“The military medics, whether it is in a pitch battle or a disaster of any magnitude, have extended a highly credible service to the affected; both military and civilians, throughout the conflict from the first line to the depth,” he said.
The Defence Secretary said the role played by military medics was considered an essential service to support the government mechanism in countering any sort of conventional or non-traditional threat.
Maj. Gen. Gunaratne was the chief guest at the inaugural ceremony to launch the Masters of Science (MSc) Program in Military Medicine of the College of Military Medicine, held at the Army Hospital Auditorium, Narahenpita, on Thursday.
Delivering the keynote address, he said deployment of military medical staffers in United Nations missions gave them the opportunity of providing their services to various multinationals around the globe.
“We will be able to develop them to a multinational forum, which calls for participation from regional and global levels once the recognition is gained. It was a demanding necessity to gear them with a suitable academic background while enabling them to work under any conditions, where their services are needed”, he said while lauding the College of Military Medicine for introducing the Masters Program in Military Medicine.
The Defence Secretary also said the new initiative will help to groom the young generation tri-services medical sector with a wide range of knowledge to combat crucial situations in pandemics, armed conflicts, natural or man-made disasters both, locally and overseas.
The program, which is conducted in affiliation with the Colombo University under the patronage of the Health Ministry, covers medical and related studies including combat, clinical and preventive medicine, jointly by tri-services experts, military ethics and customs, disaster management and military psychiatry conducted by Sri Lanka Army, aviation medicine by Sri Lanka Air Force and diving and hyperbaric medicine by Sri Lanka Navy.
The Defence Secretary commended the commitment of Health Ministry Secretary Maj. Gen. Sanjeewa Munasinghe for introducing the program and pledged his fullest support to the College of Military Medicine and the Postgraduate Institute of Medicine, Colombo University.
Health and Indigenous Medicine Ministry Secretary Maj. Gen. Sanjeewa Munasinghe, Higher Education, Technology and Innovation Ministry Secretary Anura Dissanayake, Acting Chief of Defence Staff and Army Commander Lt. Gen. Shavendra Silva, Navy Commander Vice Admiral Nishantha Ulugetenne, Air Force Commander Air Marshal Sumangala Dias, Chairman, University Grants Commission Prof. Sampath Amaratunga, Vice Chancellor, University of Colombo Prof. Chandrika Wijeyaratne, Director, Postgraduate Institute of Medicine Prof. Senaka Rajapakse, serving and retired senior tri-forces officers and the members of Postgraduate Institute of Medicine were also present.
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
