News
Duty on sugar to be kept at 25 cts. a kilo
Faced with shortage, govt. throws open sugar market to competition
By Shamindra Ferdinando
State Minister of Co-operative Services, Marketing Development and Consumer Protection Lasantha Alagiyawanne yesterday (01) said that the duty on white sugar would remain at 25 cents a kilo for the time being to ensure the control price remained the same.
The Lawmaker said so when The Island asked him whether the duty would be revised in the wake of the government lifting restrictions on the import of sugar as stocks diminished rapidly. The wholesale price of white sugar is at Rs 116 and retail Rs 122.
Responding to another query, the State Minister estimated the available stocks of white sugar and locally produced red sugar needed to be replenished quite urgently to ensure the red sugar is priced at Rs 125. According to the State Minister the stock available, included the white sugar variety used for other than domestic uses.
Asked whether it was fair to continue with 25 cents duty on a kilo of sugar at a time both government as well as Opposition lawmakers criticised the unprecedented duty slash, SLFPer Alagiyawanna emphasised that there was no basis for such criticism. The State Minister stressed that the position taken by the Committee on Public Finance (CoPF) as regards the duty reduction didn’t actually reflect the situation on the ground. The CoPE’s criticism was unfounded, the Gampaha District MP said.
CoPA Chairman Anura Priyadarshana Yapa is on record as having said that the duty reduction didn’t benefit the consumer at all. Lawmaker Yapa called for a report from the Finance Ministry in that regard.
MP Alagiyawanne said that price controls were imposed on sugar in the wake of kilo of sugar going beyond Rs 230 or 240 in the market. The State Minister said that the Finance Ministry had abolished the license system to enable any interested party to import sugar.
The Finance Ministry on Oct 13, 2020 issued a gazette notification pertaining to the much debated unprecedented duty reduction from Rs 50 to 25 cents a kilo.
Those who found fault with that didn’t realize how the price mechanism worked, the State Minister said, tangible measures were being taken to prevent shortage of sugar in the market.
The lawmaker said that revision of duty couldn’t be contemplated at the moment under any circumstances. According to the State Minister, as sugar hadn’t been imported into the country in the recent past the available stocks were diminishing quite rapidly.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, in terms of emergency regulations declared at midnight August 31, took tangible measures to ensure sufficient supply of rice, sugar and other essential items. The President also appointed Maj. Gen. Senarath Niwunhella as the Commissioner General of Essential Services (CGES) to work in unison with the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) to reign in the traders’ Mafia. In a series of recent raids, authorities seized nearly 30,000 tonnes of sugar imported by four companies.
However, the government has again opened up the sugar market close on the heels of rescinding the price controls on both paddy and rice.
Meanwhile, SJB lawmaker Mujibur Rahman said that contrary to government claims the whole supply system was in tatters. Declaring that the government couldn’t suppress the actual situation by media gimmicks, the former UNPer said milk powder, rice, sugar, cement, garlic and almost all essentials were in short supply. The top SJB spokesperson said that the government owed an explanation as to how it intended to sustain basic requirements as the national economy fast deteriorated.
The MP asked whether in spite of repeated threats directed at those accused of hoarding and manipulating the market, any action was initiated against them. The decision to rescind the gazette on the price of rice revealed the government lacked even basic strategy to ensure market stability, the MP 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
