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Two veteran officers assume duties as new Army & Navy CofS respectively

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Two veteran Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) officers were appointed as the new Chief of Staff of the respective military establishments last week.

Major General Wasantha Senarath Bandara assumed duties as the Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army recently on Monday.

He served as the Commander of the Security Forces Headquarters, Jaffna until his new appointment.

Educated at Vidyartha College, Kandy, he joined Sri Lanka Army in January 1986 as an Officer Cadet. He was later promoted to the rank of Second Lieutenant and attached to the Gemunu Watch.

Major General Bandara is a highly decorated infantry officer. He has been awarded with the elite ‘Rana Wickrama Paddakkama’ on three occasions, with ‘Rana Sura Paddakkama’ two times and with ‘Desha Putra Sammanaya’ three times in recognition of his gallantry invaluable and selfless dedication in facing the enemy in the battle field.

He has served as Commanding Officer 5th Gemunu Watch, C/O Infantry Training Centre, Colonel General Staff 57 Division, Commander 572 Offensive Brigade during the Humanitarian Operations, Commander 111 Brigade, Director Independent Directorate at Army Headquarters and General Officer Commanding 61 Infantry Division and 54 Infantry Division.

From 2015 to 2017, he served as Defence Advisor to the Sri Lanka’s High Commission in Pakistan.

Sri Lanka Navy’ new Chief of Staff, Rear Admiral Sumith Weerasinghe, assumed duties last week.

He is an old boy of Badulla Central College, joined the Sri Lanka Navy executive branch in 1985 as an Officer Cadet of 13th intake. He completed his basic training at the Naval and Maritime Academy in Trincomalee and was commissioned as an Acting Sub Lieutenant in May 1987.

He followed the Sub Lieutenant Technical Course in India in 1988 and since then had been gradually promoted to subsequent ranks in his naval career, finally being elevated to the rank of Rear Admiral on October 16, 2016.

He had commanded Fast Attack Craft as well as Sri Lanka Naval Ships such as Jayasagara and Sayurala. Apart from that, among the prominent appointments he held were: Director Naval Welfare, Commandant SLNS Nipuna, Deputy Area Commander Southern and Northern Naval areas, Director Naval Personnel, Commander Southeastern and Eastern Naval Commands, Director General Services and Commandant Volunteer Naval Force. He also served as Deputy Chief of Staff and Commander Western Naval Area.

He followed advanced courses in India, the United States and Bangladesh and has specialized in Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) at INS Venduruthy in Kochi, India. He is an alumnus of Bangladesh University of Professionals from which he was conferred the Master’s Degree in Strategy and Development Studies.

He has been awarded a several medals including ‘Vishista Seva Vibhushanaya’ for distinguished service, ‘Uttama Seva Padakkama’ for valuable service and dedication to duty.



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US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development

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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.”

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Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees

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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.

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CIPM successfully concludes 8th Annual Symposium

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Left to right, Prof. Arosha Adikaram - Chairperson of the Symposium, UAC Obeyesekere – Chief Executive Officer, CIPM Sri Lanka, Guest of Honor - Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer, MAS Holdings PVT Ltd., Sri Lanka, Ken Vijayakumar, President, CIPM Sri Lanka, Priyantha Ranasinghe,Vice President, CIPM Sri Lanka, Col. Saman Jayawickrama (Retd) – Secretary, CIPM Sri Lanka, Dr Dilanjalee Weerathunga – Co Chairperson of the Symposium

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.

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