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LSSP urges govt. to hand over power to interim administration
LSSP leader Prof Tissa Vitarana, in Parliament, on Friday, said that if the present government handed power over to a suitable interim government of good people, chosen from Parliament, and the administrative service, at the helm, and properly execute the above policies, and some others, it would be possible to find a solution to the present major crisis confronting the country.
Text of Prof Vitarana’s speech in Parliament:
“The people of Sri Lanka are suffering due to the high prices and the shortages of essential items which leads to queues lasting several days. The shortages of Imported items, like fuel, gas, milk powder and other food items, and medicines, is causing great suffering and a threat to life. For instance, the Sri Lanka Medical Association (SLMA) and Government hospital staff are publicly protesting about the suffering of patients due to this. The lack of electricity is another major problem. The Government has allowed traders to sell goods at any price without any controls. A system should be developed to ensure that the benefits of any concession given by the Government only goes to the ordinary people, especially the poor, and not to the rich. The consumers have to go hungry and more than 60% of the population, who are below the poverty line, have to manage with one meal a day.
“The Government has promised to supply some or all of these items in the near future, but no precise dates are being given. I call upon the government to inform the people when these essentials will be made available at a reasonable price. The government must stick to these dates and times, and not fool the people any longer with false promises.
“The government must address the causes of the people’s suffering and lead by setting an example. All ostentatious lifestyles of political administrative leaders of the country should be done away with so that the people will regain some confidence in the government’s promises. For instance, the tax system should be revised, as I always said. It is absurd, at a time of crisis, to have the upper limit of personal tax at 14% and the upper limit of company tax at 18%, to help the super-rich.
The tax system should be drastically revised as indicated in Table 1.
Table 1– Income tax System
Income bracket Percentages
< 100,000 No Tax
100,000-200,000 20
200,000-400,000 30
400,000-1,000,000 50
Over 1000,000 75
It was absurd for the government to increase VAT by 2% in the recent past, which was an indirect tax which affects every person, however poor he may be. There should be no increase in indirect taxes, like VAT. The large amount of money which, will be obtained from the super rich in this way, can then be used to give a parcel of dry rations to the hungry people on a weekly basis.
The above situation has arisen due to the lack of dollars with the government and with the private sector in the country. Our Foreign Exchange Reserve (FOREX) which normally average between USD 7 to 8 billion has now dropped to less than USD 1 billion (probably around USD 500 million). The government is deeply in debt to foreign creditors, and has to pay more than USD 6 billion this year. A part of this has been already paid and a payment of more than 3 billion dollars is due in May this year. This must not be done.
I recommend that the government should not go out of its way to repay these amounts on time, but ask for a moratorium on our debt for about five years. This means that for the next five years, Sri Lanka does not repay any of the debt which it has accumulated over several decades, which amounts to about USD 30 billion. During the next five years this money could be used to provide what the people are now lacking and suffering. Some development of the economy can also occur.
The Government must actively intervene to control prices. The Cooperative Movement, both producer and consumer, must be revived and function properly by direct purchase between the two. The major cause of the price increases is the huge profit made by the traders, which can be eliminated. This will ensure that both the producer and the consumer get a reasonable deal. All loss-making institutions, both government and private, should be run under the Solidarity principle. As an example, the privately run plantations which claim that they are running at a loss and therefore are not paying the promised Rs.1000/ daily wage, could be made into highly profitable institutions. The basic principle is that the ownership of the plantation is given to employees, who in addition to their regular salary get an equal share of the profits. This is no pipe dream. This has succeeded marvelously in many countries like Kerala, India, where the 66,000 hectares of tea–plantations are now running at a huge profit. Thus if the present Government hands power over to a suitable Interim Government, of good people, chosen from Parliament, and the Administrative service at the helm, and properly execute the above policies, and some others, it would be possible to find a solution to the present major crisis confronting our country and its people.
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
