News
Wheeler-dealers wrecking the country, says JVP leader
By Saman Indrajith
JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake said that a group of wheeler-dealers was responsible for teh collapse of industries and enterprises.
Addressing the 32nd Ill Maha Viru Samaruwa commemoration to mark the assassination of thousands of JVP cadres, including the party’s pioneer leader Rohana Wijeweera by the then UNP government in the 1989-90 period, Dissanayake said: “Today, farmers, entrepreneurs, industrialists or traders cannot earn the profits they deserve from the businesses and industries. The lion’s share of profit is earned by a group of wheeler-dealers. The industries and enterprises cannot survive in this manner. These wheeler-dealers with close contacts to the power and mighty pocket huge margins of profit. That is one of the main reasons for the economic crisis. They earn profit from the pandemic. They earned profit when Rapid Antigen Tests were imported. They earned profits from PCR tests. They earned profits when our migrant workers were brought home.
They earned profit from the organic fertiliser fiasco.”
Dissanayake said that there was a paradigm shift in local polity and people had started realizing that they had continuously been fleeced by successive governments since independence. “The severity of the crisis is reflected by the recent trend of youth trying to leave this country in their thousands. We tell them that leaving the country would not be the solution and not that all can leave the country. We must join forces with those who try to change this situation. There is a split within government ranks because only a single family has taken hold of all powers. Farmers in remote areas are struggling to get their fertilisers. Ven bhikkhus have started preaching a new sermon criticizing the government. The Clergy led by the Cardinal have come out to the streets demanding justice for Easter Sunday victims. Struggles have been launched in every strata by teachers, workers and trade unionists against the government. This is a new situation and people should not fall for tricksters again,” Dissanaayke said.
He said that people had experimented with the two main parties for more than seven decades. “At the end of this process of experiments, what is the balance sheet before them? An economy crumbles on a daily basis and a society full of corruption and crimes emerge. Is there a need to experiment with the same political parties again,” Dissanayake queried.
“The aspiration of those who had sacrificed their lives in the face of the UNP crackdown on JVP in the 1989-90 period was a better society. We should create that society. We must live to achieve the dreams that they cherished and must strive to achieve their goal of creating the society that they had dreamed of,” Dissanayake said.
JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva also addressed the commemoration event.
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
