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SL to lose Rs. 1B annually Lankan boozers to make India rich – SJB MP
By Saman Indrajith
An Indian printing company, Madras Security Printers Company of India, will pocket two rupees from every bottle or can of spirits or beer Sri Lankans consumed if the new plans of the Excise Department were to be implemented, SJB MP Buddhika Pathirana said yesterday, addressing the media at the Opposition Leader’s Office in Colombo.
MP Pathirana said that the Excise Department’s plan to introduce a sticker with a unique code would increase the prices of bottles and cans of beer by two rupees and the money would go to an Indian company.
“The Sri Lankan boozers will be filling Indian coffers, in such an eventuality,” the MP said.
MP Pathirana said that the Excise Department, during the yahapalana administration, had come up with the proposal to stop the sale of substandard liquor and adulterated liquor to the customers by affixing stickers on bottles and cans of liquor.
“The cost of a sticker was estimated at 25 cents. At that time, the Indian company submitted a tender application, the Government Press too submitted one. The yahapalanaya choose the Indian company and some of us opposed giving the tender to a foreign company. Because of our objections the previous government did not go ahead with the project. Now, the SLPP government is said to have offered the contract to the Indian company. The plan is to introduce a bar-code sticker. There are two main types of barcodes – the traditional barcodes known as linear barcodes and 2D barcodes popularly known as QR codes. The cost of a sticker is two rupees. The liquor producing companies would pass this extra two rupees on to the consumers who will finally be contributing to the Indian coffers,” the MP said.
MP Pathirana said he had raised this issue in Parliament as well but the government had not provided an answer. He said that it was obvious that money had changed hands, which was the reason why the government was silent.
“I asked in Parliament whether it was a case of the Finance Ministry and the Excise Department officials duping the Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and State Minister Ajith Nivard Cabraal or another example for officials getting together to line their pockets. The government did not answer my question on that day. The following day, the Excise Department issued a press release responding to the matters that I raised in parliament.”
Pathirana said that he had raised a series of questions during his speech in Parliament but the Excise Department had only responded to the last of those questions. “So I presume that they accept the other allegations I levelled,” the MP said.
MP Pathirana said at least four million stickers would be needed a month and the state coffers would lose at least one billion rupees annually. He added that MSP had been black-listed in India after being found guilty of frauds involving providing stickers to Indian liquor manufacturers.
“MSP has been blacklisted in several other countries as well. Seventeen top officials of the MSP including its owner were once caught in Kenya for releasing such stickers to unauthorised parties. The company has been banned in Sudan and Liberia for supplying the stickers illegally to private companies,.”
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
