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Communist Party calls for action to defeat privatisation
The bottom 50 percent of the Sri Lankan population owns less than four percent of the national wealth when the top one percent owns 32 percent of it, Dr. G. Weerasinghe, the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Sri Lanka said issuing a May Day statement.
He said that the 2024 May Day is celebrated at a time when the whole world is in an economic depression.
This is also a time when the country has been officially declared bankrupt for the first time in its history, Dr. Weerasinghe said.
Given below is his statement:
“Through the neoliberal economic policies introduced in 1978, foreign loans were taken to cover the trade deficit caused by the doubling of import expenditure compared to export income, resulting in an unpayable mountain of debt. As the government’s revenue flowed through the neoliberal tax policy, the treasury became empty without rupees for the first time. By 2022, the economic crisis had erupted into a triple crisis. It is the financial, foreign exchange and credit crisis.
Corruption spread throughout the social fabric and the total politicization of the public service were other factors that contributed to the crisis.
“Unemployment rose as a result of the crisis. Poverty spread. Social unrest has worsened and a crime wave has been created across the country. A monstrous gap between have and have-not been developed. The United Nations Development Program states in its report that the top 1% of the country’s population (02 lakhs of the population) owns 31% of the country’s national wealth, while the bottom 50% of the population (110 lakhs of the population) owns less than 4% of the national wealth.
“Even in this situation, the entire burden of the crisis is placed on the shoulders of the working people of the country and the big capitalist class is enjoying all the concessions and privileges. They have not paid taxes worth thousands of billions of rupees. Following the terms of the International Monetary Fund, the belts have been further tightened of the common people including working class.
“Meanwhile, the fact that after 500 years the Asian economy has come forward as the forerunner of the world economy is a source of strength and inspiration for the people of newly independent countries. A multi-polar new world order is being created through the anti-imperialist struggle. Although all the regions of Asia are experiencing rapid economic growth, the South Asian region, where we live, is relatively lagging behind economically. Because of this, South Asia is increasingly subject to geopolitical challenges and imperialist influences. On this May Day, the Communist Party of Sri Lanka is insisting on the importance of the patriotic, progressive and leftist forces of South Asia working together with mutual understanding and unity. Making the most of this historic opportunity, we resolve to intensify the struggle to get rid of the crisis that the people of Sri Lanka are facing, taking into account the new world economic order and the balance of power.
“The Communist Party of Sri Lanka points out the necessity of acting to protect the sovereignty and independence of Sri Lanka by defeating the interference of the American imperialists in the internal affairs of Sri Lanka.
The Communist Party of Sri Lanka is demanding that the arbitrary privatization process be halted, demanding a reduction in the unaffordable cost of living.
The Communist Party of Sri Lanka proposes that all patriotic, progressive and left-wing forces should work together to save the country from the unprecedented economic crisis caused by the neo-liberal economic strategy.”
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
