News
Come hell or high water govt. will deliver what it promised to people, says Johnston
Chief Government Whip and Highways Minister Johnston Fernando says come hell or high-water the government will not stop its development drive but move forward delivering people what it had promised them.
Speaking at the launch of the first phase of the Ruwanpura Expressway on Friday, the Minister said: “We are now passing a very decisive moment because of the pandemic and all have to take utmost care in the circumstances. Opposition leader and his men seem to think that corona is only here in this country. This is a global pandemic. Our government successfully faced its first and second waves and we are confident that we will face the third wave too in an exemplary manner. We have our trust in the President, Prime minister, health authorities and security forces. We have the support of the people and we are sure to win this challenge as well.
“Ours is an opposition that demands to lock down the country and then to re-open it. We as a government have decided to move forward and not to suspend any development project despite the threats from the pandemic. We cannot lag behind because of the pandemic. Even without a pandemic the yahapalana government could not develop this country. They turned this land of opportunity into a wasteland within couple of years under their government. Their nagging was that there was no funds to develop the country. They said that they had to go begging for funds from other countries. We changed that scenario and now the country is again on the fast track to development. We have made the country’s economy stable. We have faced challenges one by one and achieved success. We have re-established national security. At the time they took over the government, our country was second only to China in the growth rate. They destroyed that economy by robbing the Central Bank. They siphoned off money from development projects. After we came to power we changed that culture and now we are again on the path of development.
“We have faced much worse challenges than what we face today. We won the war under the leadership of Mahinda Rajapaksa while the Opposition and its allies kept shouting that we would never win it. The leaders of the Yahapalana government lied to the entire nation. They misled not only the people but the Mahanayakes of the Three Chapters. They have no solid work to show as achievements except lies and allegations.
“The Ruwanpura Expressway will be completed in 30 months. Around 90 percent of work of Kurunegala Expressway is completed. It should have been declared open for the public use six months back but the work is delayed by the sabotage of a private construction company belonging to a Minister of the yahapalana government. That is their concern for this country. They place their political agenda over the development of the country. They try to derail our work but we are confident we can defeat those conspiracies because we have won over bigger challenges.”
Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa declared open the construction work of the Rs. 54.7 billion first phase of the Ruwanpura Expressway virtually from Temple Trees, in line with strict COVID-19 guidelines,
The Ruwanpura Expressway from Kahatuduwa to Pelmadulla via Ratnapura (73.9 km) has been divided into three sections for implementation purposes. The Section 1 is from Kahatuduwa to Ingiriya (26.3 km), Section 2 from Ingiriya to Ratnapura (26.2 km), and Section 3 from Ratnapura to Pelmadulla (21.4 km).
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
