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CNCI wants govt. to consider industry employees as a priority segment for Covid-19 vaccination
The Ceylon National Chamber of Industries (CNCI) has asked the government to vaccinate the employees of manufacturing and service industries and trading companies as a matter of priority.
The Industrial sector is facing numerous challenges amidst the COVID-19 pandemic as companies have been dealing with shutdowns, limited operations and other disruptions for more than a year now, CNCI Chairman Canisius Fernando said.
As vaccines begin to roll out with receipt of a considerable quantity of 3.1 million doses of Sinopharm, industrial sector employees deserve to be given priority for their active and risk taking contribution to keep the essential products and services moving uninterruptedly amidst numerous hardships to maintain the socio-economic well-being during this period, he said in a statement.
A sizable quantity of employees in the industrial sector have already taken the first dose of the AstraZenica Covisheild vaccine and are awaiting the second dose, which is overdue for more than a month, he pointed out.
While extending his profound gratitude on behalf of the CNCI to the medical and health care professionals, the COVID-19 task force and officers of all other government institutions involved in the frontline and indirect operations to contain the spreading of the virus, Fernando asked the government authorities to consider industry employees as a priority segment in the Covid-19 vaccination program.
He appreciated the government’s concern in ensuring a sustainable economy and the support extended to keep the industries moving amidst all constraints.
“Today the industries, especially those related to export processing and manufacturing of essential products and services, have been uninterruptedly in operation with limited employees. However, many companies in the manufacturing sector are in a dilemma at this critical period due to rising overhead costs against lesser or no output”.
The companies in operation have to incur a huge cost to get a percentage of their employees PCR tested weekly. The cost of employee transport has doubled. The scale of production has been drastically reduced due to maintenance of social distancing on the work floor, he noted.
On the other hand, it is not possible for manufacturing companies to let the employees “work from home” as the manufacturing processes are labour intensive, unlike in some industries which are highly automated, Fernando continued.
Freight coasts have gone up more than 40% due to the global impact of the pandemic on the shipping industry. The situation has aggravated due to the government approval process in disposing industry waste. The final outcome is the high cost of production which leads to an increase in the cost to consumers while exporters becoming uncompetitive, the CNCI Chairman further said.
Employees working in industrial settings are vulnerable and highly susceptible to contract the virus and rapidly spread it even if one among them gets infected. The speed of the spread among their colleagues will be very high due to the interconnected operations in any industry. This situation will pose a high risk to maintain productivity and support the country’s economy, he opined.
“Similarly, the employees will be discouraged to report for duty, ultimately creating a shortage of essential goods in the market. We believe the possible adverse effects that could be brought to the socio-economic life with such jeopardy need not be over emphasized”.
Considering all these factors, the CNCI Chairman asked the government to make immediate arrangements to vaccinate industrial sector employees, especially those in the manufacturing and service industries and trading companies as a matter of priority.
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
