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Ruination of CEB blamed on yahapalana minister
SJB won’t take responsibility: Siyambalapitiya hits back
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Kegalle District MP Ranjith Siyambalapitiya, strongly denied accusations that in his capacity as the then Minister of Power and Renewable Energy, during the yahapalana administration (2015-2019), thousands of persons had been absorbed illegally into cadre of the cash-strapped Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB).
MP Siyambalapitiya stressed that he had not recruited a single person without the approval of the Department of Management Services of the Finance Ministry. Ravi Karunanayake and the late Mangala Samarawaeera held the finance portfolio during the UNP-led yahapalana administration. The SLFP was the junior partner.
The SLFPer said so when The Island sought his response to the accusations made by Kegalle District SJB MP Kabir Hashim and incumbent Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera, in Parliament, on Monday (Aug 29).
Lawmaker Hashim alleged that those who sought to secure the parliamentary seat, and certain political parties that followed political agendas at the expense of the national economy, ruined the CEB. The former UNP Chairman accused them of having clandestine deals with the CEB’s top management, as well as trade unions. All of them should accept responsibility for the current crisis as they quite conveniently failed to introduce much required reforms, the one -time Petroleum Minister alleged.
A smiling Wijesekera reminded Hashim that the one who recruited the largest group of workers, too, represented the Kegalle district. MP Hashim hit back pointing out that the person the minister referred to is on the government side now.
They were referring to Ranjith Siyambalapitiya who contested the last general election on the SLPP ticket.
Of the 14 SLFPers in current parliament, except for Angajan Ramanathan, all others, including the party leader Maithripala Sirisena contested on the SLPP ticket.
Lawmaker Hashim emphasized that the breakaway UNP group, the SJB wouldn’t accept the responsibility for the actions of the Kegalle District member.
Responding to another query, MP Siyambalapitiya said that he wasn’t in parliament during the exchange between Minister Wijesekera and MP Hashim. Acknowledging that persons from the Kegalle district had been recruited to the CEB during his tenure as the minister in charge of the institution, MP Siyambaalapitiya denied accusations as regards violations of Treasury directives in doing so.
Perhaps the minister and the MP had referred to the CEB taking approximately 6,000 workers who had been employed via ‘manpower’ companies 15 to 20 years ago, MP Siyambalapitiya said. The failure on the part of successive administrations to resolve that issue caused frequent strikes and work stoppages, the SLFPer said, questioning the rationale in finding fault with him for settling a long-standing issue.
The former minister said that during his period the CEB had to be further expand as the then government took tangible measures to provide electricity for all those who sought the service. Of those who requested the facility, the CEB up to that time had provided connections to 94%-95% and action was taken to provide electricity for the remaining lot. Therefore, additional workers had to be recruited, the then power minister said.
MP Siyambalapitiya said that UNPer Attorney-at-Law Ajith. P. Perera served as the State Minister of Power. Had I abused my office; he would have brought that to the notice of his party.
Reiterating in parliament the urgent need to restructure the CEB, Minister Wijesekera questioned the rationale in outsourcing work to the private sector that should have been handled by the state enterprise. The Matara district MP placed the number of CEB and LECO workers at over 26,000.
JVP’s Vijitha Herath has told parliament that the proposed restructuring was nothing but a prerequisite for the finalization of RFI (Rapid Financing Instrument) with the IMF.
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
