News
High interest rates keeping businesses afloat – CB Governor
By Rathindra Kuruwita
Central Bank Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe yesterday told journalists that Sri Lanka was holding discussions with China on debt restructuring and the developments were positive in general.However, the Governor refused to elaborate on discussions with any creditor, stating that specific details of these discussions would affect markets.
“We can’t be specific. We have to maintain ‘radio silence’ to ensure markets are not affected. When we have a concrete agreement we will reveal it,” he said.Dr. Weerasinghe said that they were also continuously discussing with the IMF, bilateral donors and commercial donors.
“The government reached an agreement with the IMF on 01 September. Following that we have taken several steps towards restructuring and discussions with creditors. On 23 September, we made a presentation to our creditors. President Ranil Wickremesinghe has also held several discussions with bilateral creditors and international organizations like the Asian Development bank (ADB). Next week, the State Minister of Finance, the Secretary to the Ministry of Finance and others will go to the IMF and hold further discussions,” he said.
The Governor added that inflation would notably drop in the first quarter of 2023. He also said that inflation would begin to decline from October.Dr. Weerasinghe said that the UNHRC resolution on Sri Lanka would not affect its discussions with the IMF or the World Bank.The Governor also said that the problems faced by the business community had not been created by high interest rates. The problems they were facing had been created by high inflation.
“People complain that they can’t do business because of high interest rates. It’s not true. They can’t do business because of high inflation. The cost of production is high because of inflation. The finance cost of a business at most will be 10%; whereas 90% is transport, raw materials, etc. These have increased because of inflation. If we have runaway inflation, business will collapse. People have to understand why interest is high. If inflation comes down, we can bring down interest rates,” he said.
Dr. Weerasinghe added that the remittances through the banking system were slowly rising. The drop in remittances was mainly due to the open account system and black market.
“These illegal flows are decreasing now. There has been increased black market activity in the past few weeks but this is temporary. Also, I would like to remind you that we are getting more accurate data on remittances. A few years ago, the data said Sri Lanka was receiving around 600 million US dollars a month as remittances. However, there are issues with the way the banks calculated remittances in the past, but now they are calculating right. Previous bank data was problematic and now we are talking to banks about this. Given that more people are leaving the country for jobs, remittances will go up,” he said.The Governor said banks were receiving foreign currency and businessmen and students were allowed access to foreign currency.
“There are still shortages, but you have to remember that a few months ago we didn’t have money for fuel. We think things will continue this way. We monitor the remittances. We hope they come through the banking system,” he said.
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
