News
Confusion over national flower multiplied by erroneous publications
The Ministerial Consultative Committee on Environment recently discussed at length whether the Sinhala name of the national flower of Sri Lanka is Manel or Nil Manel?
Senior Professor of the Department of Botany, University of Peradeniya Deepthi Yakandawala and Senior Professor of the Faculty of Agriculture and Plantation Management, University of Wayamba Kapila Yakandawala made presentations on the unresolved and controversial issue as to what is the national flower of Sri Lanka for many years.
They said the national flower of Sri Lanka had been declared on 26 February 1986. It was called the ‘Blue Water Lily’ by a cabinet paper. But the professor said that a photo of a ‘Purple Water Lily’ was used to depict the ‘Blue water Lily’.
Accordingly, in 2010, the professor and others informed the President, the Minister of Environment, the Secretary to the Ministry of Environment, and the Director of the Biodiversity Secretariat of the mistake made in 1986. Accordingly, in 2015, the correct picture of the national flower was published. But in 2015, the Ministry of Environment published a photograph of the correct flower, while declaring the Sinhala name of Sri Lanka’s national flower as Manel, the English name is ‘Blue Water Lily’ and the Tamil name is Nilothpalam.
The Ministry of Environment pointed out that the reason for the change of the name Nil Manel to Manel had been based on the opinion expressed by the veteran Sinhala language expert, Prof. Wimal G. Balagalle on the national flower. According to his opinion, the Sinhala name of the national flower should be Manel, since the meaning of Manel is the noblest blue flower.
They emphasised that according to the globally accepted standards of plant classification, the scientific name may be subject to change, but the common names used by the general public should not be changed.
Both professors pointed out that Manel was a common name and since there were many types of Manel (Water Lilies) in Sri Lanka such as Purple Water Lilies, White Water Lilies, Blue Water Lilies, etc., the Sinhala name of national flower of Sri Lanka should be Nil Manel (Blue Water Lily).The professor pointed out that the Blue Water Lily had met all the criteria considered by the National Flower Selection Committee in 1986, such as endemicity, utility, historical and cultural significance, etc.
Prof. Yakandawala mentioned that the ‘Sri Lanka Philatelic Bureau’ had issued a stamp with a picture of the Blue Water Lily and it was not the real flower but a picture of a wrong flower. She also pointed out that textbooks contained an image of the wrong flower.Addressing the committee, Minister of Environment Naseer Ahamed said an expert committee had been appointed by Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena to examine the matter and to submit recommendations. The Members of Parliament who spoke about the issue pointed out that it was a matter of national importance that a definite decision should be taken soon.
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
