News
‘Crisis not solely due to pandemic’
BY Saman Indrajith
The failure of the government to solve problems facing the people was not solely due to the inabilities of the incumbent president, but also because of the failures of those surrounding him, JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissnayake said yesterday.
Speaking at a meeting held at the Solis Hall, in Pitakotte, the JVP leader said the SLPP’s mammoth victory at the last presidential election and two-third majority at the general election subsequently were due to the people’s trust in President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, and the utter incompetence of the government from 2015 to 2019.
“However, one and a half years on, the people have realised they made a mistake and their hopes will not be realised under this government. Public outcry against the government is increasing because of the frustration caused by the failure of the government. The failure of the government is mainly due to the economic and political policies the country has followed for a long time. The current dispensation has aggravated the situation. Under these political and economic policies the people of this country have no future. We are heading towards the biggest ever economic crisis of this country. The Treasury is almost bankrupt and the total government revenue is not sufficient even for the settlement of loan installments. The government is printing money apace. It is said that the government after coming to power has printed over one trillion rupees. On a day of this week over 200 billion rupees have been printed,” Dissanayake said.
He said that the government was now seeking loans from China, India and even Bangladesh. “In the face of this crisis, the government has to either borrow for high interest rates or to sell off remaining national assets. Apart from this economic crisis, there are many social problems. There is a bleak future and we must come up with a plan to steer this nation out of this quagmire,” he said.
General Secretary of the United Left Front, senior lawyer Lal Wijenayake said: “The current crisis is not solely due to the pandemic. This is the result of the total sum of actions by the governments of the past 73 years and their economic and political policies. We must change these policies. We must make a course correction. In order to do so we need leaders who are willing to change the policies of governing the country. Socio-economic problems have created a social crisis and in the meantime corruption is increasing. People have lost faith in this system.
NPP MP Dr. Harini Amarasuriya said: “People have been duped continuously by the rulers. They got the votes of people by promising good governance in 2015 and today people abhor those concepts of good governance. In 2019, the people were promised national security, and today we do not see such a thing in existence. This is what has happened in this country for the past 73 years. We must stop repeating the same mistakes.
Prof Hiniduma Sunil Senevi of the Sabaragamuwa University said: “Since 1948 this country has been ruled by green and blue parties alternately but people have not gained anything except have lost their independence, dignity and rights. There is an agitation countrywide coming out of the frustration of people.
Prof Liyanage Amarakeerthi of the Peradeniya University also addressed the meeting.
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
