News
Central Bank salary controversy: MP finds fault with composition of Governing Board
… asks House to rectify fundamental blunder
by Shamindra Ferdinando
Lawmaker Gevindu Cumaratunga, on behalf of the Uththara Lanka Sabhagaya (ULS), has requested the Chairman of the Committee on Public Finance (CoPF) Dr. Harsha De Silva to propose fundamental change to the Central Bank of Sri Lanka Act (No 16 of 2023) by including Secretary to the Finance Ministry/Treasury Secretary in the decision-making Governing Board (GB) of the Central Bank.
The Governing Board consists of Dr. P Nandalal Weerasinghe (Chairman), A N Fonseka, Dr. Ravi Ratnayake, Anushka S Wijesinha, Vish Govindasamy, Rajeev Amarasuriya and Manil Jayesinghe.
The SLPP National List MP has, in a letter dated March 07, 2024, addressed to de Silva, said that the controversial salary increase granted by the GB with effect from January 1, 2024, should be examined against the backdrop of the Finance Ministry Secretary not being a member of that decision-making body.
The leader of the Yuthukama civil society group said that the Finance Ministry Secretary had been a member of the five-member Monetary Board (MB) that dealt with salary increases in terms of the Monetary Law Act that was in force since 1950 until the enactment of the 2023 law in response to the deterioration of the national economy to such an extent the country halted paying debt.
The MB comprised Central Bank Governor as its Chairman, Finance Secretary both ex-officio members and three appointed members.
Declaring that leaving Finance Secretary out of the decision-making process a fundamental and catastrophic change in the new law that governed the Central Bank, MP Cumaratunga said that the common stand taken by Central Bank Governor Dr. Weerasinghe and CoPF Chairman Dr. de Silva that the salary increases were always decided by then MB on its own was not acceptable.
In terms of the new law, the GB is tasked with overseeing the administration, management and determination of general policies.
MP Cumaratunga said that the inclusion of the Finance Secretary in the MB made a huge difference as he couldn’t have ignored under any circumstances the salary structures of other categories of public sector employees when deciding on increments to Central Bank employees.
Parliament passed the Central Bank of Sri Lanka Act (No 16 of 2023) in July last year. Of 225 MPs, only 66 voted for the new law whereas 24 voted against. MP Cumaratunga said that he was among those who voted against the new law.
Pointing out President Ranil Wickremesinghe, in his capacity as the Finance Minister, asked the CoPF Chairman to submit a report on the Central Bank salary issue, MP Cumaratunga said that he expected the House Committee to recommend the inclusion of the Finance Secretary.
The Island sought an explanation from MP Cumaratunga what he expected to achieve by his proposal as the current Finance Secretary Mahinda Siriwardena as a Deputy Governor of the Central Bank, too, received the disputed salary increase. MP Cumaratunga said that if the Finance Secretary also served on the GB, he would have to explain how he agreed with the rest of the board while repeatedly demanding curbs on state sector expenditure. The MP pointed out that just a year ago Wickremesinghe-Rajapaksa government indefinitely put off Local Government polls claiming that it couldn’t afford to allocate funds for the conducting of the election. MP Cumaratunga said that at the end, the Finance Secretary, in his capacity as Deputy Governor now entitled for Rs 1.7 mn monthly salary.
Referring to recent statements made by President Ranil Wickremesinghe, at an event held at the BMICH on March 03, regarding the enactment of 42 new laws within 14 months since his election lawmaker Cumaratunga said that such boasts seemed absurd when the whole law-making process was in deepening turmoil.
The MP pointed out that the continuing controversy over the enactment of the Online Safety law that ultimately was taken up even at the ongoing 55th session of the Geneva-based United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) underscored the gravity of the developing situation.
The President owed an explanation how Parliament enacted that law disregarding specific recommendations made by the Supreme Court to make it compatible with the Constitution.
MP Cumaratunga said that Justice Minister Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, PC, recently declared that a new law was required to ensure that no one operated outside the Constitution. Pointing out that this declaration was made in the wake of the Central Bank salary issue, MP Cumaratunga emphasised that the country was paying a very heavy price for irresponsible approach towards the enactment of new laws.
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
