News
Part of USD 200 mn ADB loan spent on cash assistance scheme for paddy farmers
USD 3 mn Japanese grant attached to ongoing project
By Shamindra Ferdinando
An agreement on the much advertised cash assistance, provided exclusively to paddy farmers by the Wickremesinghe-Rajapaksa government, was finalised several weeks before then President Gotabaya Rajapaksa stepped down on July 14, 2022 amidst violent protests.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has provided the wherewithal for this purpose to cash-strapped Sri Lanka following a request made on May 20, 2022.
Senior External Relations Officer, ADB, Roshani Yogarajah said that cash assistance to paddy farmers was discussed and decided in June-August 2022 during preparation of the latest project. Cash assistance provided to paddy farmers in two installments during the 2022/2023 Maha season (September-March) would cost USD 30 mn, Yogarajah declared. According to her, USD 30 mn had been allocated from USD 200 mn emergency assistance loan that was sought by Sri Lanka to provide relief to families badly affected by the continuing economic crisis. The Yala season covers May-August.
The ADB spokesperson at the ADB Resident Mission said so in response to The Island queries regarding when Sri Lanka sought the emergency loan, the amount of the ADB facility, terms and conditions of the loan if it was not a grant as indicated by Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera as reported by a section of the media and the total amount of ADB loans provided since the last presidential election held in Nov 2019.
Sri Lanka entered into a loan agreement with the ADB on Sept.09, 2022 for USD 200 mn that has to be paid back with stipulated interest and other charges within 24 years.
The spokesperson said: “The cash assistance referred to in the articles is being supported under the Food Security and Livelihood Recovery Emergency Assistance Project. The government made an official request for the emergency assistance ($200 million to be provided with surplus loan proceeds cancelled from six ongoing projects) in May 2022. The inclusion of the cash assistance to farmers in the emergency assistance was discussed and decided in June-August 2022 during project preparation. The allocation for the cash assistance for farmers (to be provided in two installments during the 2022/2023 Maha season) is $30 million.”
In addition to the USD 200 mn emergency loan, the ADB has diverted USD 40 mn from what it called the Mahaweli Water Security Investment Programme to procure Muriate of Potash (MoP) fertilizer for paddy farmers for 2023 Maha season. According to Yogarajah, 40,000 tonnes of MoP that had been obtained was distributed among farmers.
The ADB said that the Ministry of Finance, Economic Stabilization and National Policies would execute the project. Sri Lanka sought USD 200 mn from ADB close on the heels of Ranil Wickremesinghe receiving Premiership on May 12 and five days after he received finance portfolio.
In the wake of Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe receiving appointment as Governor, CBSL, in April 2022, Sri Lanka requested the ADB’s intervention. According to the ADB, it has formulated an emergency assistance package in close coordination with the World Bank, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and United Nations agencies. ADB has coordinated with these development partners in preparing the main project, as well as with the Embassy of Japan and JICA, Sri Lanka in designing the Japan Fund for Prosperous and Resilient Asia and the Pacific (JFPR) grant project.
USD 3 mn JFPR grant has been attached to ADB’s USD 200 mn loan with the intention of providing relief to those who were excluded from the ongoing social assistance programme. In terms of a previous agreement between ADB and Japan, the former will administer the USD 3 mn grant.
Asserting Russia-Ukraine war that erupted in February 2022 aggravated the crisis here, the ADB, too, faulted Gotabaya Rajapaksa government for hasty ban on the import of chemical fertilizers and pesticides in May 2021 that resulted in quite heavy loss of paddy production in 2021-2022.
ADB said that it has received assurance from Sri Lanka that the Japanese grant would be subjected to its policies, including those concerning anti- corruption measures, safeguards, gender, procurement, and consulting services.
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
