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Won’t stop development due to COVID-19 – PM
Minister of Highways Johnston Fernando briefing the PM on the proposed Ruwanpura Expressway.
Sri Lanka has commenced construction of the country’s seventh expressway at a time when the world is reeling from COVID-19, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa said yesterday at the opening ceremony of the Ruwanpura Expressway.
Sri Lanka had begun work on its first highway, the Southern Expressway, in 2006 while the war was raging, he added.
“There are difficulties but we have not forgotten that the development of the nation too is important. I believe that good roads are an indicator of a country’s development,” he said.
Prime Minister Rajapaksa said that the government could not shut down the country because of the pandemic. The economic wellbeing of citizens was as important as fighting the virus, he said. If people followed the health guidelines, the pandemic could easily be brought under control, he said.
Commenting on the highway, Minister of Highways, Johnston Fernando said that the government will not stop development projects despite the obstacles created by the pandemic. He added that the implementation of the project is a manifestation of the government’s commitment to realize the visions and policies of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s Vistas of Prosperity and Splendour in line with plans for sustainable development.
“This highway to Ratnapura is important for the entire country. The prime Minister frequently asks me to expedite the Central Expressway too. We are also working on that.”
The inauguration ceremony of the first phase of the Expressway from Kahatuduwa to Ingiriya of the Ruwanpura Expressway was held yesterday. The event was held with the participation of a limited number of people as per the health regulations in place in view of the pandemic. Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and others participated in the ceremony via new technology from Temple Trees.
The proposed Ruwanpura Expressway from Kahatuduwa to Pelmadulla via Ratnapura connects the Western Province with the Sabaragamuwa Province. The project from Kahatuduwa to Ratnapura to Pelmadulla (73.9 km) has been divided into three phases for implementation purposes. Phase I extends from Kahathuduwa to Ingiriya (24.3 km), Phase II from Ingiriya to Ratnapura (26.2 km), and Phase III from Ratnapura to Pelmadulla (21.4 km). The project has first been envisaged by the Mahinda Chinthana manifesto in 2014. Maga Engineering Company has been selected as the construction contractor of the project at a cost of Rs 54.70 billion.
The Ruwanpura Expressway is envisaged to provide a boost for the economic development of the country by help promoting efficiency and it is expected to ease the congestion on Panadura-Ratnapura (A08) and Colombo-Wellawaya-Batticaloa (A-04) routes. People in districts of Colombo, Kalutara, Ratnapura, Badulla, Nuwara Eliya, Moneragala and Hambantota would be directly benefited by the new expressway which provide them with opportunity to transport their produce including tea, apparel, minor export crops and a boom to the gem industry with ease of travelling to find markets, decrease in congestion, less burning of fuel and saving on time, the Minister 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
