News
SJB MP sees flaws in President’s policy statement
The country had been plunged into darkness with power cuts within four hours of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa vowing to allow the importation of electric vehicles, SJB Matale District MP Rohini Kumari Wijeratne said in Parliament yesterday.
“Since then, we have been experiencing intermittent power cuts daily,” MP Wijeratne said, participating in an adjournment debate on President Rajapaksa’s policy statement on Tuesday to commence a new session of parliament.
“Electricity generation is now hampered. Coals stocks are sufficient for only three months. We have to come to a situation without food, without coal, gas, sugar, coconut oil and fuel, yet there is no lack of boasting,” she said.
MP Wijeratne said that the President in his policy statement missed speaking of the problems faced by the people.
“There are three main problems; the first is the cost of living problem, the second is the collapse of
agriculture and third is the deterioration of democracy and the rule of law. None of these was addressed by the President. After shutting down parliament for more than one month, the President came here to tell us that for the past two years he gave fertilizer free of charge to farmers. Is it true? I am telling you all to go and ask from the farmers whether they received fertilizer free of charge during the past two years. Farmers are on the streets demanding fertilizer. The government decreased importing of fertilizer by May 2020. In many places of the country fertilizer was not available even at the time of the 2020 Maha Season. The President said that he gave a certified price of Rs 50 a kilo of paddy. In Tissamaharama a kilo of paddy is being sold at Rs 110. In Akkaraipattu paddy sold at Rs 95 for a kilo wet weight. These are the results of the agricultural policy of this government. Paddy is being harvested at Ampara these days. The usual experience is that prices of paddy go down when the harvest is coming. But today the prices of paddy are increasing. The President could utter those words in this Parliament complex surrounded by the Diyawanna Lake and his security. I ask him to say the same if possible, during one of his sessions at Gama Samaga Pilisandara so that he would get the right answers from the farmers.
“The President also mentioned 16 crops including green gram, Undu and Cow Pea. These crops are cultivated in lands in the Matale District which I represent. They could not be grown without agrochemicals. Farmers complain that they cannot grow those crops without agrochemicals. We cannot fathom why this government cannot understand these facts.
This government’s agriculture policy is built on three main pillars: fraud, boasting and removing secretaries. The government very soon will establish a record by removing secretaries”, she 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
