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Preparations for SLN’s Red Sea operations will cost USD 40 mn: expert
By Rathindra Kuruwita
The government will have to spend about USD 40 million to upgrade the offshore patrol vessel to be sent to the Red Sea to take part in operations against the Houthi rebels, Y.N. Jayarathna, retired Rear Admiral and hydrographer, said in a televised interview this week.
The Sri Lanka Navy would be able to operate in the Red Sea if the government was willing to spend necessary funds for upgrading the ships and bear operational costs, Jayarathna said.
“We need to use offshore patrol vessels. We have these ships. During the last phase of the war, Sri Lanka decided to go after the LTTE’s floating armouries, which were almost on the South of the Equator. We sent a taskforce under Commodore Travis Sinnaiah,” he said.
Jayarathna added that the Navy had operated on the high seas to curb drug smuggling from Iran via the Arabian Sea.
When a journalist asked whether it would serve Lanka’s national interest to send ships to the Red Sea to fight someone else’s war, Jayarathna said that by sending a ship to the Red Sea, Sri Lanka was fulfilling international obligations in safeguarding sea lines of communication.
“The government has to word our mission there carefully. It will be disadvantageous if others believe we are fighting someone else’s war. We must come off as a regional Navy with the capacity to contribute to coalition patrols,” he said.
Jayarathna said Sri Lanka would have to invest in the ships to make them able to operate in the Red Sea.
“The Head of State wants the SLN to operate in the Red Sea, but does the government want to spend money? There will be operational costs, and there will be maintenance costs. The cost of diesel, alone for an offshore patrol vessel for a one-month patrol, comes to about Rs 60 million. There is a huge cost, and the government has to be ready for it,” Jayaratne said.
The retired Rear Admiral said Navies could not be built overnight and that they had to be maintained. “We have the vessels, but do we have the necessary technology? There is a lot more to be done before we are able to send the ships. We need some new equipment. We need to replace some of our obsolete equipment.”
The Sri Lankan Navy needed detection and stabilisation equipment, he said. If Sri Lanka wanted to buy the equipment quickly, it will have to pay crisis purchase prices, Jayaratne said.
“So, about USD 35 to 40 million will be needed. If the government wants naval ships to be there, the government should pay.”
The Sri Lankan Navy will not be operational in the high-intensity combat zone. But even at the periphery, Houthi rebels are using cruise and ballistic missiles.
“In the power politics of the Indian Ocean, the US and its allies want us to be in their camp. The Chinese want us to be in their camps. It seems that we are siding with the US and its allies. We can’t make decisions on impulse. The decisions we make here have repercussions. So, political masters must make wise decisions. These are not decisions that a single person is taking. A body of people must make these decisions. We don’t know what went on behind the scenes,” he said.
The volume of transshipment cargo that the Colombo Port received had gone up because ships are taking the long sea route to avoid the Red Sea, he said.
Jayarathna said that Sri Lanka should go and operate on the Northern part of the Arabian Sea, which is a main route for drugs that come here.
“This means we don’t even have to be on the periphery of the conflict area. We will be in the vicinity. This is a good opportunity for us to be there and operate for our national interest while protecting the sea lines of communications,” Jayaratne 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
