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High priority for development of Kelani Valley urged at the Philip Gunawardena commemoration
Responsible authorities since the Dutch and English colonial rulers have failed to pay sufficient attention to the problems of floods and the development potential of the Kelani River valley, said Senior Irrigation Engineer Anton Nanayakkara last week delivering a special lecture at the 50th Philip Gunawardena Commemoration meeting at the Sri Lanka Foundation.
Nanayakkara said: “The Kelani River valley is second only to the Mahaweli river valley. It has enormous potential to contribute to the development of this country. However, no proper attention has ever been paid by to this subject since the days of the Dutch and British rulers. It is sad to observe this untapped potential while countries elsewhere have seized opportunities to get the best of their rivers on either bank.”
He pointed out that a team of Russian experts had in 1961 pointed out that excess water of the Kelani River could be naturally diverted to Kurunegala. Sri Lanka’s next mega development project should be the Kelani Valley Multipurpose Development Scheme.
Nanayakkara said that Philip Gunawardena was the first to come up with the idea of a Kelani Valley Multipurpose Development Scheme that could bring about a new national economic and social awakening in Sri Lanka. On Nov 16, 1937, Gunawardena, as Member for Avissawella, presented a special motion to the State Council proposing a multi-purpose development program for Kelani River flood management and the Kelani Valley.
It read: “That this council is of opinion that immediate concrete and effective steps should be taken to prevent further pauperization of the people through periodic floods which damage their crops and dwellings and turn cultivable land into a mosquito-breeding swamp, and to this end desires the appointment of a Commission, with recognized expert from abroad, having practical experience in flood control schemes, to inaugurate a comprehensive scheme of flood – control for the Kelani river, coordinated with the work of irrigation, water supply, drainage and hydro – electricity.”
Speaking further on his proposal, Gunawardena pointed out that no serious considerations have been given to control the floods in the Kelani River and that the Government is acting in a confused manner in this regard. “… this is a question that has baffled many engineers, many statesmen and a good many laymen. However, since about 1873, I must say, that no serious effort has been made by the Government to control the floods of the Kelani River.
“It is the matter known to everybody in this island that annually the floods in the Kelani valley destroy houses, crops, livestock and even take human lives, and it is estimated that annually the country loses, as a result of the flood, somewhere in the neighborhood of Rs. 200,000. That is a very big sum. But apart from the actual loss in property and life, the entire economic life in the Kelani valley is brought to a standstill for several days in the year.”
Nanayakkara said that this development project, which should be given high priority, is critically important to the Colombo, Gampaha, Ratnapura, Kegalle, Nuwara Eliya and many other districts. It needed to be accorded priority in future development projects. Philip Gunawardena was the first to present such a proposal but that, despite its importance, did not happen.
“We have made so many policies but none of them has been implemented in a manner that could bring transformative change,” Nanayakkara said.
Among those present at the commemoration lecture were the Anunayake of Malwatte Chapter Ven Dimbulkumbure Wimaladhamma Nayaka thero, Chancellor of the Colombo University Ven Muruttettuwe Ananda thero, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, Irrigation Minister Chamal Rajapaksa, Labour Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva, Water Supply Minister Vasudeva Nanayakkara, Lands Minister SM Chandrasena, Indigenous Medicine Promotion State Minister Sisira Jayakody, MPs Jagath Pushpakumara, Jayantha Samaraweera, Premnath Dolawatte, Suren Raghavan, Yadamini Gunawardena, Prof Gamini Samaranayake and the ambassadors of China, France, Cuba and Vietnam.
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
