News
Shanthikumar takes over THASL leadership
By Harischandra Gunaratna
Tourism industry veteran M. Shanthikumar was elected to head The Hotels Association of Sri Lanka (THASL) following his appointment as the President of the association on Thursday at THASL’s 56th anniversary celebrations held at Taj Samudra.Shanthikumar takes over the leadership from Mount Lavinia Group Chairman Sanath Ukwatte whose term ended.
Addressing the anniversary celebrations, Shanthikumar said: “The hotel sector investment in Sri Lanka is by far the highest in the Tourism Industry estimated to be over 15 Billion USD. Further, 70% of the entire Tourism workforce is employed by the hoteliers in the country. Our member hotels and companies continue to spend a large unt of money annually to maintain the plants, for continuous training of staff and for overseas marketing and promotions striving to increase destination arrivals. The highest contribution to the Government coffers are made by the hoteliers.
In terms TDL payments, taxes, levies and all other charges. No one can deny the dominance and the contribution the accommodation providers in the country make to the Tourism industry.
“The hoteliers are already burdened with a series of top line taxes and levies. The topline social security contribution of 2.5% is definitely adding to the burden. We have been without revenues for nearly 18 months still continuing to maintain the employees and the hotels. The industry will lose its competitive edge in marketing the destination with such taxes and there is no doubt it will affect the anticipated tourist arrival growth in to the country.
“Being an industry with dollar earnings we need the Govt to consider exempting the Tourism Sector from the Social Security tax of 2.5% on the total revenue at least until such time we see the Tourist arrivals stabilizing to the country. This is absolutely critical,” he said.
Shanthikumar counts over four decades of experience in the tourism and hospitality industry and has been a catalyst in driving some of the key initiatives implemented for the betterment of the sector.
Earlier this month he stepped down from his role as President of Colombo City Hotels.
Shanthikumar has been part of the leadership team of THASL for over a decade. He has held the position of Director/CEO of Global Towers Hotel, Global Investment, Global Lanka Hotels and a Director of Ocean Edge Hotel. Shanthikumar has also served as Acting Chairman of Sri Lanka Convention Bureau.
Commenting on the appointment of the veteran as head of THASL, the Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators (SLAITO) said it is looking forward to working together to uplift the tourism industry during the ongoing challenging period.
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
