News
Cash-strapped CEB arranged for bank loans to workers at govt. expense – Kanchana
… admits CEB-owned hydropower plant benefited from Samanalawewa leak
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera has disclosed that cash-strapped Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) arranged for bank loans to its employees at government’s expense.
The SLPPer said that of the 15%-16% interest, the CEB paid 2/3 whereas the workers paid the balance.
Minister Wijesekera said that in line with his strategy to reduce unnecessary expenditure and to improve financial stability that practice had been done away with.
Appearing on Salakuna on Hiru TV, a weekly live political programme hosted by Chamuditha Samarawickrema this week, Wijesekera said that the government had also abolished the collective agreement that ensured 25% increase in salaries every three years and a range of other benefits to several sectors, including the CEB and Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC).
MP Wijesekera received power and energy portfolio in April 2022 during the tail end of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s presidency. President Ranil Wickremesinghe retained Wijesekera as the power and energy minister when he swore in new cabinet of ministers.
Minister Wijesekera declared that the restrictions had also been imposed on carrying out maintenance work over the weekend for workers’ financial benefit. MP Wijesekera emphasised that though the CEB was out of the woods, he intended to continue with stringent measures now in place.
Pointing out that there were altogether 5,000 vacancies in the CPC and CEB in spite of him being the minister in charge of them he couldn’t under any circumstances take advantage of the situation. The minister said that the country was in such a desperate juncture, the powers that be couldn’t abuse the system.
Minister Wijesekera said that one of the decisions taken by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa soon after assuming office was to terminate a controversial scheme under which the government paid utility bills of the ministers. According to him the government paid bills of various civil and military officials at a heavy cost to the Treasury.
Responding to Samarawickrema and his two colleagues, Minister Wijesekera denied any wrongdoing on his part regarding the inordinate delay in sealing of a significant water leakage at the Samanalawewa reservoir in spite of warnings issued by the experts.
On the basis of a recent declaration by leader of CEB trade union affiliated with the JVP Ranjan Jayalal, the Hiru team repeatedly asked the minister whether he blocked the sealing of the reservoir for the benefit of a private mini-hydropower plant that used leaking water to produce electricity.
Having repeatedly denied the allegation and any knowledge of existence of such a mini-hydropower plant situated close to Samanalawewa reservoir, towards the end of the programme Minister Wijesekera said that the Sri Lanka Energies, a fully owned subsidiary of the CEB operated the said installation.
Minister Wijesekera said so after a senior CEB official made available the relevant information through WhatsApp. Minister Wijesekera named Nandika Pathirage, spokesperson for CEB Senior Engineers’ Union as the person in charge of Sri Lanka Energies.
Minister Wijesekera denied accusations that the delay in sealing the leakage posed a serious threat and the failure to address the issue at hand without further delay could be catastrophic. According to the minister, he got to know Pathirage only after assuming responsibilities as power and energy minister.
Commenting on the ongoing protest campaign against the proposed restructuring of the CEB, Minister Wijesekera emphasised that regardless of warnings issued by a section of the workers affiliated to the JVP led union, the government was going ahead with reform plans.
A smiling Minister said that the process that had been initiated by the government couldn’t be reversed by setting fire to a copy of the new Electricity Bill.
Asked to comment on President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s recent declaration in parliament that a section of CEB engineers opposed renewable energy projects such as the proposed Pooneryn venture as they profited by thermal and coal generation, Minister Wijesekera said that what the President said was 100 percent true. There were various interested parties, including some in the CEB who worked overtime to sabotage new investments thereby preventing the much needed capital for new power generation projects.
Minister Wijesekera revealed that the Attorney General has cleared the Pooneryn project and the CEB awaited the approval of the Public Utilities Commission in that regard.
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
