News
State Minister fires broadside at SLPP
‘Yugadanavi is one among many contentious issues’
By Shamindra Ferdinando
State Minister Jayantha Samaraweera says the country wouldn’t have been in such turmoil today if the top political leadership consulted constituents of the ruling coalition.
Kalutara District National Freedom Front (NFF) lawmaker Samaraweera said that a simmering dispute over Yugadanavi deal that ended up in the apex court was one among many contentious and questionable issues.
NFF is a breakaway group from the JVP and has six members in Parliament as opposed to three seats held by the latter.
MP Samaraweera said that the SLPP had conveniently turned a blind eye to concerns expressed by constituents not only in respect of Yugadanavi betrayal, but a number of other issues as well. The MP said that the SLPP couldn’t act in an arrogant manner on the basis of superiority in numbers. Of the 145-member government parliamentary group, 117 represents the SLPP.
Asked to elaborate, lawmaker Samaraweera pointed out how the government had allowed importers to fleece those struggling to make ends meet by doing away with price controls.
“What is the point in granting duty concessions to various importers unless the government ensures the consumers benefit by them,” the former JVPer asked.
Referring to the reduction of duty on white sugar by issuing a gazette dated Oct 13, 2020, MP Samaraweera alleged that the whole exercise was meant to give sugar importers an opportunity to make a killing.
The garlic scam, massive fraud in liquid fertilizer imports from India, controversy surrounding opening of Letter of Credit for import of Chinese carbonic fertiliser before receiving approval from the National Quarantine Centre and the pathetic failure to prevent gas-related explosions much to the embarrassment of the entire government caused a debilitating setback. “We begin the new year on the back foot,” the State Minister said.
State Minister Samaraweera admitted that they hadn’t been successful in convincing the SLPP to review its policies. The parliamentarian said that the NFF recently called a special media briefing to pressure the government to re-impose price controls immediately or face the consequences. Alleging that the government ignored their request made on behalf of the people, MP Samaraweera said that the ruinous move that did away with agro-chemicals overnight without a proper study of ground realities was perhaps the single worst decision taken by the current dispensation since the last presidential election.
The bankrupt Opposition exploited the situation to the hilt, the MP said, urging the government to address the grievances of the public and rectify mistakes. There was no point in denying the fact the country never experienced such turmoil even during the war against the LTTE, the State Minister said.
The MP also questioned the prorogation of Parliament under controversial circumstances. The State Minister said that some speculated the government wanted to reconstitute parliamentary watchdog committees, the COPE (Committee on Public Enterprises), COPA (Committee on Public Accounts) and COPF (Committee on Public Finance) as some sections of the government felt the revelations made therein caused difficulties.
Responding to another query, MP Samaraweera said that as a member of the dissolved COPE chaired by Prof. Charitha Herath he was aware of the importance of the work undertaken by the watchdog committee.
Perhaps the government couldn’t stomach what was taking place there, the NFF senior said, pointing out it was COPF Chairman Anura Priyadarshana Yapa who fired the first salvo against the fraud in sugar duty. The MP pointed out that if none of the heads of three committees received the top position again the public would realize what was going on.
The Kalutara District MP recalled how the COPE pulled up Litro for blocking a government audit. For two years, Litro, in spite of being owned by Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation (SLIC) , managed to deprive the Auditor General, the MP said, adding that the government suffered due to the actions of those who believed they could manipulate everything. The Yugadanavi fiasco was a case in point, he said.
State Minister Samaraweera pointed out the absurdity in faulting Ministers Vasudeva Nanayakkara, Wimal Weerawansa and Udaya Gammanpila over so-called collective responsibility of the cabinet in respect of the decision on agreement with US-based New Fortress Energy when the cabinet of ministers never took that decision.
MP Samaraweera said that they had faith in the judiciary. The MP noted the Supreme Court would resume the hearing on January 10, a week before new parliamentary sessions begin.
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
