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Communist Party accuses US of attempting to aggravate crisis here
The economic and political crisis caused by four decades of neoliberalism could only be overcome by bringing an alternative economic program to power, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Sri Lanka (CPSL) Dr. G. Weerasinghe said issuing a statement yesterday.
Dr. Weerasinghe said that as soon as satisfactory solutions for the pressing needs of the people were found, parliamentary elections should be held so that the people’s will and sovereignty could be expressed.
“Long-term solutions to overcome the crisis facing the country can be expected from such a government,” he said.
Given below is the CPSL statement: “With the crisis, the struggle and the appointment of Ranil Wickremesinghe as President, Sri Lanka has reached a critical point.
“It is necessary to examine very briefly how the country reached this critical moment. A trade deficit has been created due to the neoliberal economic policies that have been operating in our country for many decades. The tax policy associated with that system reduced government revenue, and the public sector was removed from the economic process.
“Planning was excluded. The misguided economy that was built as a result was pushed into a severe crisis by the COVID – 19 epidemic and failed management in the last two years, causing a shortage of dollars and rupees. A great disaster has been created in the areas of food, medicine, electricity, fuel, gas, fertilizers, industries and agriculture.
“The economic crisis that arose in the country pushed to a political explosion. Beginning with the removal of ministers from the cabinet in March, Mahinda Rajapaksa resigned as Prime Minister on May 09, the Rajapaksas were removed from ministerial positions, and Ranil Wickremesinghe was appointed as Prime Minister on May 12.
“These developments took place in parallel with the Galle-Face protest movement that started in April. The violence was unleashed from the Temple-Trees on May 9 targeting protest movement, followed by killings and burning of houses across the country. The people’s uprising took place on July 09, with the participation of hundreds of thousands of people, in a situation where the Ranil Wickremesinghe government, which assumed the position of Prime Minister on May 12, did not provide the expected solutions to the acute problems of the economic crisis, which were served as the basis for the struggle. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled the country.
“Ranil Wickremesinghe became the President on July 20th in the constitutionally held presidential election as the post of President was vacant. The national and international factors as well as subjective and objective factors that led to Ranil Wickremesinghe’s victory can be understood. However, what is important is whether under the government of President Ranil Wickremesinghe, the people will get the relief they need and whether they will overcome the crisis. The acute problems that the people expect immediate solutions from the government have arisen regarding food, fuel gas, medicines, and fertilizers, industrial and agricultural inputs.
“Therefore, these issues related to living need immediate solutions. As soon as satisfactory solutions are found for these issues, parliamentary elections should be held so that the people’s will and sovereignty can be expressed. Long-term solutions to overcome the crisis facing the country can be expected from such a government.
“It will not be possible to prevent the emergence of various conflicting events in this crisis situation. It is the expectation of the Communist Party of Sri Lanka that the government will respect the right of the people for agitation and protest peacefully. The Communist Party will not hesitate to defeat any attempt to violate those rights of the people.
We observe how certain forces led by the American imperialists are working to further aggravate this crisis that has arisen in our country, and to use the crisis for their own purposes and strategies. The Communist Party called on all leftist, democratic, progressive and nationalist and anti-imperialist forces to work together to ruthlessly expose and defeat those attempts.”
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
