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CMA Sri Lanka COVID 19 SME Development Conference: Celebrating UN – Micro, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Day
The CMA Sri Lanka COVID 19 SME Development Conference 2023 has been organized on the theme ‘Resurgence of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises and Entrepreneurship Development’ to celebrate United Nations – Micro, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Day to raise public awareness of their contribution to sustainable development and the global economy with the active participation of commercial banks and their MSME customers on Tuesday, 27th June 2023 from 9.00am to 5.00pm at the BMICH.
The CMA Sri Lanka COVID 19 SME Development Committee have been meeting since April 2020 to find solutions and support the SME sector. They have organized conferences, workshops and UN MSME days annually since 2020. One of the significant achievements of the committee was the recommendation made to the Ministry of Industries in 2020 to submit a Cabinet Paper to reactivate the SME Credit Guarantee Institution which was approved by Cabinet in April 2021 and ERD of the Finance Ministry has now finalized the setting up of the NCGI.
The conference will address the significance of the Micro, Small and Medium sized Enterprises on the UN MSME day which is a global event to give recognition. Some of the key matters applicable to the MSME sector will be highlighted at the conference. This will include the Sri Lanka Credit Guarantee Institution and its role in supporting the MSME sector, the need to have a MSME Development Act similar to that of India, ‘The Role of Banking Sector in Restructuring Loans and Rehabilitation of MSMEs’, ‘Entrepreneurship to Accelerate Economic growth and Development’ and Success Stories of MSME Entrepreneurs nominated by participating Banks.
The inaugural session will be inaugurated by the Chief Guest Hon Shehan Semasinghe Acting Minister of Finance. Welcome and Introductory Remarks will be delivered by Prof Lakshman R Watawala, President CMA Sri Lanka and Chairman CMA Sri Lanka COVID 19 SME Development Committee. Guest of Honour Acting Director ILO Country Office for Sri Lanka and Maldives Mr Thomas Kring – will address on the ‘Significance of United Nations – Micro, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (MSME) Day’. Keynote Address on ‘Sri Lanka Credit Guarantee Institution and its role in supporting MSME Sector’ will be delivered by Mr R M P Ratnayake, Deputy Secretary to Treasury and Treasury Representative on NCGI. Guest Speaker CMA Ramachandran Venkataramani, Director Westcott Electricals Private Limited from Chennai will address on the ‘Success of Indian MSME Development Act to promote, facilitate development and competitiveness of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs)’. The vote of thanks will be delivered by Mr Bandara Rekogama, Head of Refinance Schemes & Special Lending Products HNB and Committee Member CMA Sri Lanka COVID 19 SME Development Committee.
The other speakers will include Mr Wickrama Narayana, DGM, Enterprise Banking of People’s Bank on the topic ‘The Role of Banking Sector in Restructuring Loans and Rehabilitation of MSMEs’. Technical session 2 will have by Dr Nirmal de Silva, Strategy Consultant speak on ‘Entrepreneurship Development to Accelerate Economic Growth’ and Dr Chamara Bandara Founder/MD Corporate Directors (Pvt) Ltd. on ‘Business Planning and Raising Finances for Entrepreneurs’.
Both the technical sessions will conclude with a panel discussion which will be moderated by Mr Chaaminda Kumarasiri, Management Consultant, and Chairman, H C P Consulting (Pvt.) Ltd. and Committee member CMA Sri Lanka COVID 19 SME Development Committee.
The final Technical Session 3 will be the highlight of the conference where Eight Success Stories of MSME Entrepreneurs from participating Banks will be shared with the participants. The participating banks will include Bank of Ceylon, Peoples Bank, Hatton National Bank, Commercial Bank, Sampath Bank, NDB Bank, Seylan Bank, SDB Bank, DFCC Bank and Cargills Bank. The finance companies will include LOLC Finance and Sarvodaya Development Finance.
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US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
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.”
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Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
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.
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CIPM successfully concludes 8th Annual Symposium
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.