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UL attempt to recruit foreign pilots flops due to low pay, high taxes – Dayasiri
Attempts made by SriLankan Airlines to recruit foreigners had failed due to low pay and high taxes here, Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) MP Dayasiri Jayasekera told Parliament on Friday (07).He said that the management of SriLankan and the line Minister were encouraging pilots to leave the airline.
“The dispute between pilots and the management of SriLankan Airlines continues. It was recently revealed in Parliament that SriLankan needs 330 pilots to operate optimally and that we have only 260. The winter season is coming soon. This is the best time for tourism, but we don’t have pilots to increase flights to top tourism source markets,” Jayasekera pointed out.
SriLankan has 24 aircraft, out of which only 17 operate. Two are in the hanger, and the other five can’t operate because of the shortage of pilots, he said. SriLankan airlines offer low salaries compared to top airlines like Emirates, and most experienced pilots remain with the airline because their families live here, the SLFP MP said.
“Emirates pays about 10,000 dollars; we pay about 7,900 dollars. Pilots have been demanding an increment, starting in 2020. For some reason, the Minister and top management of SriLankan is trying to drive away local pilots. We don’t need to pay these pilots Emirates rates; just address their concerns. SriLankan management wanted to recruit foreigners, but no one has come due to low salaries and taxes,” Jayasekera said.
He also said that ground handling operations at Mattala airport are to be taken from SriLankan and given to Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) Ltd.
“SriLankan has been doing ground handling in Mattala for over a decade. They have trained the staff, recruited from that area, and had made an investment of about 10 million U.S. Dollars. Previously, ground handling of Ratmalana airport was given to Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) Ltd and their bad service led to the cancellation of Maldivian Airlines flights to Ratmalana. Now Mattala is to be given to this entity, and the government will have to be responsible for losses incurred due to bad service by inexperienced staff,” he said.
Jayasekera said that a number of staff members recruited from Hambantota have been transferred to Katunayake, and it was impossible for them to make this commute.
“This is not the fault of the current Minister; these were recruited during Mahinda Rajapaksa’s time. However, as you can see, it is not possible for these people to make this commute,” he said.
In response, Minister of Ports, Shipping, and Aviation, Nimal Siripala de Silva said that the problem lies with the attitude of the pilots.
“We had 316 pilots when we had 26 planes, and there was no problem. Now there are 15 planes and 266 pilots. There is no shortage of pilots; the problem is that the pilots have no dedication to their duty. Recently, there was an issue with a flight to South Korea. There were 20 pilots who could have operated the plane, but none of them wanted to,” he said.
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
