News
Australian dream shattered: 15 smugglers among nearly 140 arrested since June 23
Patrol boat donated by ex-PM Abbot involved in B’coa detection
By Shamindra Ferdinando
A patrol boat donated by Australia to Sri Lanka years ago made the successful interception of a fishing trawler carrying illegal migrants heading to Australia recently.
Navy headquarters spokesman Captain Indika de Silva yesterday (28) told The Island that the SLNS Ratnadeepa (formerly Hervey Bay) made the detection in the seas east of Batticaloa in the early hours of Monday (27).
Australia delivered two Bay Class patrol boats to Sri Lanka in 2014 following a pledge given by the then Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbot during the CHOGM (Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting) in the previous year.
The Bay class patrol boats are used by the Australian Customs Marine Unit and Border Protection Service.
The Batticaloa detection led to the arrest of 49 males and two women hoping to seek refugee status in Australia. In addition to them, the Navy arrested five crew of the trawler. They were described as human smugglers.
On Monday night, SLNS Nandimithra, formerly of the Israeli Navy, intercepted another trawler in the western seas off Negombo, carrying 29 men and six women and seven children. Captain de Silva said that in addition to the illegal migrants, five smugglers were taken in.
Responding to The Island queries, the senior Navy officer said that they had enhanced ground as well deployment at sea to thwart illegal migration. Monday’s detections raised the number of interceptions made by the Navy to three, made since Australian Home Affairs and Cyber Security Minister Clare O’Neill visited Colombo last week to reiterated their commitment of ‘Operation Sovereign Borders’ meant to curb illegal migration.
Captain de Silva said that the smugglers were making attempts to move would be refugees in smaller boats to trawlers. According to him, they were trying to leave from Negombo-Chilaw and Batticaloa-Kalmunai stretches.
The Navy has made a spate of detections during the last 10 weeks while some have succeeded in reaching Tamil Nadu.
Arrested persons brought ashore in SLNS Ratnadeepa(pics courtesy Navy)
Arrested persons brought ashore in SLNS Ratnadeepa(pics courtesy Navy)
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
