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Lanka opens floodgates for corruption in power sector: Harsha
ECONONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka has opened the floodgates for corruption by ending competitive bidding for private renewable power plants opposition legislator Harsha de Silva, who tried to limit high feed in tariffs only to plants below 10 Mega Watts said.
“Due to non transparent procurement and corruption we pay so much more than necessary for electricity,” de Silva said in a twitter.com message after the ruling party rejected his proposal to limit procurement corruption.
“One bright spot was the requirement for competition in renewable projects but had delays. Instead of fixing the problem they did away w competition. Horrible decision.
It will be interesting to see how the IMF, World Bank, ADB views this absolutely unacceptable new development in #SriLanka.
“This is 180 degrees opposed to what donors would want from us begging for dollars. This will open a floodgates for corruption.”
Some observers say Chinese funding built up a contractor class in the country which was able to influence the polity of the country, but Western donor agencies has promoted the renewable lobby at a time when their prices were un-competitive allowing them to develop ways of influencing public policy.
In many developed nations the renewable firm had to use public relations sometimes called ‘green washing’ to win special subsidies from the policies and influence public policy.
However renewable technologies have now matured and developing countries can use them at market rates and most cost-effective technologies are also emerging allowing grids of poor countries to handle unstable supply from highly volatile renewable sources.
Under then Minister Ajith Perera, renewable feed in tariffs collapsed under competitive tendering allowing investors without political clout to enter the renewable energy business.
Defying conventional wisdom, prices for smaller plants were lower than expected despite their smaller scale due to lowered barriers of entry in the form of the required investment.
Sri Lanka’s Podujana Party with ex-Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa voted with 120 votes in favour and 36 votes against to do away with competitive tendering for renewable power plants.
There were 13 abstentions.
De Silva’s amendment to limit higher prices to only plants below 10 MegaWatts was also rejected.
Recent tenders have also not been approved by political authority pending the removal of competitive tendering, unions have charged.
Meanwhile Power Minister Kanchana Wijesekera said CEB unions have blocked renewable projects and that is why the Electricity Act was changed and power cheaper than thermal would be introduced.
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
