News
Bangladesh High Commission says …
Apropos our news items (in The Island of 18 April) “Australia-based doc alleges her flat illegally occupied by diplomatic mission employee”, the High Commission for the People’s Republic of Bangladesh in Colombo has sent us the following response:
“We draw your kind attention to the publication of the news item titled “Australia-based doc alleges her flat illegally occupied by diplomatic mission employee” published in “The Island”. While denying the allegations therein, we would like to submit the factual account of the matter:
“A tenancy lease agreement was signed between Mr. Hendadura Ruwan Chaminda De Zoysa (NID no. 770442923V), the lessor and Defence Wing of the Bangladesh High Commission, the tenant on 22 January 2024 to rent a property at House No. F12, Elvitigala Flats, Elvitigala Mawatha, Colombo 08 for one year from 01-02-2024 to 31-01-2025. The tenant paid one year’s rent LKR 625,104.00/- in advance as per the agreement by cheque No. 0979615 of Sampath Bank deposited to the bank account No. 107052281803 of the lessor, Mr. Zoysa.
“As a landlord usually does, the lessor had made all the necessary refurbishments and logistic arrangements before the tenant, in this case mission staff Mr Harun Or Rashid, occupied the property. After a few months of their stay, the lady Ms. Rasanjali Ratnayake came to the property on 27th March 2024 and claimed the ownership of the property. Mr. Harun explained to the lady as to how he rented the house and then contacted the lessor Mr. Zoysa to inform him about the ownership claim by the lady.
Both the lessor Mr. Zoysa and Ms. Ratnayake met and they even went to the local police station for a suitable settlement. The occupant Mr. Harun was given the impression by both the parties that they are negotiating for an out of the court settlement. In this situation, the news item published in your newspaper that implied that the High Commission staff is illegally occupying the property, is outright misinformation and hence unexpected.
“First of all, before executing the tenancy agreement (attached) the High Commission had no reasonable ground to doubt about the ownership of the property by Mr. Zoysa and signed the agreement in good faith. The staff of the High Commission was shown the apartment several times before the final negotiation. The lessor Mr. Zoysa did all civil refurbishment works in the flat before the move in. All the transactions were made was through official channel.
“The staff of the High Commission Mr. Harun rented the house from Mr. Zoysa out of good faith, and if any kind of fraudulence occurred here, he is a mere victim of the circumstances. The term “illegally occupied” portrays the victim as the perpetrator. It is an injustice to a diplomatic staff of a friendly country.
“Besides, the High Commission did not receive any written communication from Ms. Ratnayake. The High Commission could have requested for the redress of the matter from the concerned authorities in Sri Lanka if it had been informed earlier by any aggrieved party.
“The publication of this news item without any verification from the High Commission has the potential of spreading misinformation and tarnishing the image of the country Bangladesh. Moreover, following the publication, the High Commission staff Mr. Harun and his family members are now scared and subject to social humiliation.
The High Commission has already made a submission to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka requesting to take necessary measures to settle the matter.
Reyad Hossain
Counsellor and Head of Chancery
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
