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COPA frowns on FEB’s failure to take prompt action against errant official
Human trafficking racket
It was revealed at the Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) that complaints had been made against an officer seconded to the Lankan embassy in Oman by the Foreign Employment Bureau, who has been suspended, since February this year, but no action had been taken against him.
Additional Auditor General. P.L.K. Perera pointed out that on 28 February 2022, that the former chairman of the Foreign Employment Bureau had called for an investigation by the Internal Audit Division regarding this officer. The Additional Auditor General pointed out that financial fraud, certificate fraud, etc., had been reported regarding the official concerned.
It was revealed that former chairman of the Foreign Employment Bureau, Major General (ret.) Mahinda Hathurusinghe had requested the Ministry in February this year to bring the official back to Sri Lanka immediately, as investigations might be hindered if he remained in that post. The committee expressed its strong displeasure at the fact that no action had been taken until the incident received a great deal of publicity through the media.
The Director General of the Foreign Employment Bureau said the Internal Audit Division of the Foreign Employment Bureau had conducted an investigation against the officer as per the request of the former chairman, but the allegations could not be proved.He however said that after calling for a report from the Ambassador to Oman and based on the investigation report received from the Criminal Investigation Department, the Bureau had suspended the officer.
The absence of trained workers to meet the demand for foreign jobs in many fields including nurses was also taken into discussion at length. The COPA also pointed out that the Foreign Employment Bureau should not send unskilled workers abroad and it had to work all other relevant ministries and institutions to send only skilled workers abroad for employment.
Thus, the committee Chairman instructed the Secretary to the Ministry of Labour and Foreign Employment to prepare a mechanism within two months to send trained workers to meet the demand of foreign jobs in good coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Public Administration, Ministry of Education and other related institutions. Furthermore, a COPA sub-committee will be appointed for this, COPA Chairman Kabir Hashim stated.
COPA subcommittee Chair (Dr.) Sudarshini Fernandopulle, Members of Parliament J. C. Alawathuwala, Ashok Abeysinghe, (Dr.) Major Pradeep Undugoda, Wasantha Yapabandara, Weerasumana Weerasinghe, (Dr.) Harini Amarasuriya, Ananda Wimalaweera, Secretary to the Ministry of Labor and Foreign Employment, Aruni Wijewardena, Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Priyantha Mayadunna, Secretary to the Ministry of Public Administration, Nihal Ranasinghe, Secretary to the Ministry of Education and other officials were present at the Committee meeting.
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
