News
CB salary controversy: Issue is not increase but size of it, says Harsha
… asks for reappraisal of pay structure
CB never opposed pay hikes for anyone: Governor
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Chairman of the Committee on Public Finance (CoPF) Dr. Harsha de Silva on Tuesday (05) said what was at issue was the sheer size of salary increase granted to Central Bank (CB) employees.
The SJB lawmaker said so when Governor of the Central Bank Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe sought an explanation from the House Committee whether the MPs found fault with the Central Bank over the salary increase granted to employees with effect from January 1 this year or the amount (percentage) given in terms of a Collective Agreement.
Dr. Weerasinghe appeared before the CoPF after having responded to questions raised at the party leaders’ meetin chaired by Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena.
Political sources said that the party leaders’ meeting, as well as the CoPF proceedings, commenced simultaneously. Of the seven Governing Board (GB) members, only Dr. Weerasinghe appeared before the party leaders and subsequently joined GB members, namely A.N. Fonseka, Dr. Ravi Ratnayake, Anushka S Wijesinha, Vish Govindasamy, Rajeev Amarasuriya and Manil Jayesinghe.
Responding to CoPF’s Chairman’s declaration that the Parliament felt that salaries of Central Bank employees shouldn’t have been increased by so much, Dr. Weerasinghe emphasised the need to explain their position in this regard.
Dr. Weerasinghe said that the Central Bank had never advised the government not to increase the salaries of state sector employees. Everyone’s income had to go up for the economic crisis to be resolved. “Salaries of both public and private sectors should be increased as soon as possible depending on the availability of funds.”
Dr. Weerasinghe said that the Parliament could say that the salary increase granted with effect from January 1 this year should have been delayed by one year. They could debate whether the increase granted to Central Bank employees was morally right now or a year later, he added.
Dr. Weerasinghe said that the government granted salary increases to an extent it could. The Governor was referring to the salary increase announced by President Ranil Wickremesinghe, in his capacity as the Finance Minister in the 2024 Budget.
Dr. de Silva pointed out that the House Committee had raised the issue over the size of the latest Central Bank salary increase and not the salary increase itself.
A statement issued by Janakantha Silva, Director Administration and Acting Director Communication, disclosed that during the party leaders’ meeting with the Central Bank team it transpired that as a result of the latest increase their monthly salary bill would go up by Rs 232 mn.
Dr. de Silva said that the Central Bank was a regulated monopoly. Therefore there was no competition. The former UNP State Minister emphasized that the Central Bank was regulated by Parliament.
Dr. Weerasinghe reiterated that the Central Bank was not of the view that salaries shouldn’t be increased.
Responding to Dr. Weerasinghe contention that the Central Bank had to look after its employees, Colombo District MP de Silva said all establishments faced that issue and it was not limited to the Central Bank. Economists weren’t the only category affected by the current crisis but doctors, engineers as well as other categories of workers.
Dr. de Silva urged the GB to reconsider the size of the salary increment.
Dr. de Silva yesterday told The Island that the House Committee believed the CB Governing Board would address the concerns raised by Parliament at the level of CoPF and the party leaders as well.
In spite of big boasts of rapid economic recovery and all sorts of claims, the country was in a precarious situation and the unexpected situation caused by the Central Bank salary increase could undermine public faith in the government, Dr. de Silva said.
CBSL officials appearing before CoPF (pic courtesy parliament)
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
