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Economic crisis: Lankan group appreciates Congresswoman Titus’s backing
Three Sri Lankan expatriates, as special attendees at an official State of Nevada Democratic Party gathering, in Las Vegas, where U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was the guest of honour, extended their unreserved gratitude to House Member Dina Titus for taking the leadership to assist Sri Lanka, in recent months, with food and nutritional requirements, foreign media reports said.
Sanje Sedera, Chairman of both Sri Lanka-America Chamber of Commerce and Sri Lanka-America Association of Las Vegas, along with two executive directors of both organizations Lalindra Wickremaratne and Daya Gamage, on behalf of the Sri Lankan people, thanked Congresswoman Dina Titus for taking the lead to impress upon Washington policymakers the urgent need for humanitarian assistance to Sri Lanka.
Since Dina Titus, and nine other Congressmen, addressed an official communiqué to U.S. Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, and USAID Administrator, Samantha Power, early August, Washington has taken swift measures to dispatch humanitarian assistance to Colombo, it has been noted. Sri Lanka-America Chamber of Commerce, a national entity, based in the Convention Capital of the world, Las Vegas, since its debut a year ago, has gradually been reaching to policymakers in Washington, D.C., U.S. Congressmen who have assignments in foreign affairs, agriculture and commerce and the U.S. Department of Treasury, on issues such as trade, investment and commerce between the two countries.
Two senior officials from the Treasury Department travelled all the way to Las Vegas to have a dialogue with the officials of the Chamber, in June this year. One of them had travelled to Sri Lanka, the previous month, to meet several Cabinet members, including Ali Sabry.
The Chamber, in recent months,has given top priority to find avenues to get humanitarian assistance to Sri Lanka, a spokesman noted.
The three officials of the two Sri Lankan expatriate organizations attended the ruling Democratic Party official gathering to have discourses with lawmakers to further encourage them to help enhance humanitarian assistance to the economically beleaguered Sri Lanka.
The Sri Lankan expatriates made House Speaker Nancy Pelosi knowledgeable during their conversation with her at this gathering.
Political activist and entrepreneur Sanje Sedera says that the close rapport he and other expatriates developed with Washington lawmakers and policymakers, during the past two decades, as well as using strategic diplomacy is bringing dividends at this hour of need for Sri Lanka.
Congresswoman Dina Titus remarked that she and her colleague in the Congress are aware of the plight of Sri Lanka and reiterated her commitment to assist Colombo, it has been reported.
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
