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Chief whips of govt and opposition go at each other over central expressway
By Saman Indrajith
Chief Whips of government and Opposition locked horns in Parliament yesterday, trading accusations of corruption, waste and impotence.
A heated argument ensused after Chief Opposition Whip Kandy District MP Lakshman Kiriella asked the government to open the Mirigama-Kurunegala stretch of the Central Expressway as vehicles could not move via Pahala Kadugannwa area, due to a road closure.
Chief Opposition Whip Kiriella: After the closure of Colombo-Kandy Road near Pahala Kadugannwa I made inquiries with engineers working at the Central Expressway. They told me that Mirigama-Kurunegala Section of the expressway could be opened. I urge the government to open it so that people inconvenienced by the closure of Colombo-Kandy road could use it. I asked a question from the Prime Minister January 2020 about this expressway. I table the response given by the Prime Minister. In it he said that this section would be opened in August 2020. It has not been done yet.
Chief Government Whip Highways Minister Johnston Fernando: I am very happy because you spoke to engineers and inquired about the progress. We intend to open this section of the expressway within this month. This could have been opened last year if it was not for the sabotage by some contractors who had been given the contract by your government. That company belongs to one of the ministers in the yahapalana government. Now, you and others in the opposition make various statements that you had almost completed the construction of the expressway except for two kilometers and we cannot even construct those two kilometers. You could not even repair and develop the roads in Kandy district. It is after I assumed duties that work has been started.
This expressway was started by laying the foundation stone when Mahinda Rajapaksa was the President. The yahapalana government of yours canceled the contract and gave it to a new contractor with additional one billion rupees. You gave the contract at a new rate of additional Rs 110,000 per km. So, do not ask us now of the progress. We have acted in a fair and transparent manner always. You should be in jail for what you did during that time. Your government did nothing but sling mud at us and lodged false complaints and cooked up evidence to put us in jails. That was what you did instead of developing the country. The roads you built did not have a starting point and an ending point. Remember that we will complete all the work we started. We will complete the expressway from Colombo to Kandy within two years. We will open this section.
Chief Opposition Whip Kiriella: We are ready to debate what you said. The COPE conducted an investigation on this expressway and reported that there had been no corruption. When we came to power in 2015 not a single inch of the expressway had been measured at least. While I was the minister of highways we surveyed and measured 20,000 plots of lands. We gave the contracts to local contractors. They had completed 90 percent of the work at the time we handed over the government. That is the truth. Even the Prime Minister has admitted to that. You mentioned that the contract had been given to a company belonging to a cabinet minister of our government. My question is whether you have not given contracts to the same company under your government?
Chief Government Whip Minister Fernando: I will reveal the way you gave contracts if you come for a debate. I will explain how you paid additional Rs 110,000 per kilometers. You should be ashamed. I do not know how you come to parliament without shame. Tell me what you did for five years in constructing the section from Kadawatha to Mirigama.
Chief Opposition Whip Kiriella: I am not a person who distill liquor or moonshine. We are ready to debate. We did not hurl Bibles and chairs in this House. You resort to derogate others when you cannot face an argument. I asked only for the opening of the road. Is it a problem for you to open the road?
Chief Government Whip Minister Fernando: I am a good Catholic. I am a person who have utmost respect for Buddhism too. Do not denigrate Catholicism. What you are referring to is not a Bible but another book. This House does not have Bibles here. You are a cheap politician.
Chief Opposition Whip Kiriella: None of those allegations you levelled in the report of the COPE that investigated this expressway project. Your allegations are baseless. I repeat that we do not distill liquor or moonshine. This government lost 800 million rupees in its first budget. That is the origin of all problems in the economy. You lost 800 million rupees by giving a VAT concession. When we took over as the Yahapalana government the government revenue was only one thousand million rupees.
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
