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Sri Lanka seeks Thai investments at Colombo Port City – Gen Prayut seeks talks on FTA
Sri Lankan Ambassador in Bangkok Chaminda Colonne has requested Thai Prime Minister Gen. Prayut Chan-o-cha, to explore the possibility of investing in Colombo Port City project.
During her first courtesy call on the Premier at the Government House in Bangkok, Ambassador Colonne on Monday (6) invited Thai investors and on her request General Prayut directed the Board of Investment of Thailand to conduct a virtual meeting with the Colombo Port Commission and Sri Lanka Board of Investment.
Ambassador Colonne, who is also Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative to United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) extended warm greetings to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha from President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa.
Both recalled longstanding excellent bonds of friendship and cooperation between the two countries dating back to many centuries deeply rooted in the Theravada Buddhist traditions. Prime Minister and Defence Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha conveyed great affection towards the Government and People of Sri Lanka.
Emphasising on enhanced cooperation between Sri Lanka and Thailand in the fields of export, investment, especially in the context ofthe new normal, Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha emphasised the need for accelerating negotiations on a bilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA). Both assured to strengthen bilateral economic and trade ties leading to an increased trade volume and to enhance investment with a win-win approach.
Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha also assured to continue in assisting Sri Lanka’s COVID-19 pandemic recovery and to provide technical cooperation in the fields of agriculture, fisheries and artificial rainmaking.
While highlighting her intention of promoting economic diplomacy with the Government of Thailand, especially in the ten areas identified under the Strategic Economic Partnership (SEP) and ‘One Village one Product’(OVOP) concept in Sri Lanka, Ambassador Colonne assured strong commitment during her tenure of office for consolidating Sri Lanka-Thai bilateral relations for mutual benefit.
Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha welcomed the proposal made by Ambassador Colonne to opening of a Thai language teaching centre in Sri Lanka and Sinhala language teaching centre in Thailand with a view to eliminate the language barrier between the two nations and to enhance people to people contacts.
Commending on excellent leadership of Sri Lanka as the Chair of Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha stated that Thailand looked forward to takeover of Chairmanship at the fourthcoming 5th BIMSTEC Summit and Ambassador Chaminda Colonne, assured Sri Lanka’s fullest support for Thailand’s future endavours in BIMSTEC.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha also conveyed his warm best wishes to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and Foreign Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris.
Ambassador Chaminda Colonne also extended an invitation to Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha to visit Sri Lanka at a mutually convenient time with the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Advisor to the Prime Minister Bansarn Bunnag, Deputy Secretary-General to the Prime Minister Anucha Burapachaisri, Government Spokesperson Dr. Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana, Director-General, Department of South Asian, Middle East and African Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Darm Boontham of Thailand and the First Secretary Saritha Ranatunga of the Sri Lanka Embassy joined the discussion.
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
