News
Met Dept. issues severe weather warning
Next 24 hours critical
By Rathindra Kuruwita and Ifham Nizam
Current depression over Southwest Bay of Bengal, 160 km to the east-northeast of Trincomalee, was expected to reach the eastern coast of Sri Lanka and cross the country during the next 24 hours, the Met Department said yesterday issuing a severe weather warning.
The alert issued by the Met Department’s Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre said that showers would occur at times over most parts of the country and in some places heavy showers above 150 mm could be expected in addition to strong gusty winds of about 40-50 kmph over the country. That was caused by a depression over Southwest Bay of Bengal, which is moving across the country, the Department said.
Two perons, aged 15 and 18, died yesterday morning due to an earth slip, which destroyed their house.They were residents of Dunuwila North, Alawathugoda and the accident took place around 6.30 am.The victims were brother and sister. Their parents and another person were rushed to hospital.
The Department of Irrigation said that the water levels of many reservoirs had risen due to heavy rains. It has warned those who live in low-lying areas near rivers to remain vigilant.
The Department of Railways says train services in central Sri Lanka have been disrupted due to minor rock and earth slips and several trains have been cancelled.The National Building Research Organization said that four districts in the country were facing the risk of landslides and urged the people to be vigilant.
The Parakrama Samudraya in Polonnaruwa and Giant’s Tank in Mannar were brimful due to heavy rains, Irrigation Department officials said.Six spill gates of the Deduru Oya reservoir were opened and a minor flood situation was expected by Sunday evening in low-lying areas of the Deduru Oya basin.
Showers or thunder showers will occur at times over Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, Southern, North-Western and Northern provinces. Heavy showers above 100mm can be expected at some places in the above areas today (Monday), the Met Department has said.
Therefore, naval and fishing communities are advised not to venture into the deep and shallow sea areas around the island and to the Southwest Bay of Bengal (06N – 14N, 78E – 85E), until further notice.Fishing and naval communities have been asked to be attentive to future forecasts issued by the Department of Meteorology.
Winds will be northerly to north-westerly and wind speed will be 30-40 kmph. Wind speed may increase up to 55-65 kmph at times in the sea areas off the coast extending from Galle to Pottuvil via Colombo, Puttalam, Mannar, Kankesanthurai, Trincomalee and Batticaloa and it will increase up to 50kmph at times in the other sea areas around the country.The sea areas off the coast extending from Galle to Pottuvil via Colombo, Puttalam, Mannar, Kankesanthurai, Trincomalee and Batticaloa will be rough. The other sea areas around the Island may be rough at times.
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
