News
Controversial awarding of contract to blacklisted Indian company to print foolproof stickers on liquor bottles, cans
CA issues notice to the Finance Minister, Treasury Secretary, Excise Commissioner General…..
By A.J.A. Abeynayake
The Court of Appeal, after considering a petition seeking a writ of certiorari quashing the tender awarded by the Excise Department to the Madras Security Printers of India to print foolproof stickers on liquor bottles and cans, issued notice on respondents on Wednesday.
Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa, Secretary to the Ministry of Finance S.R. Attygalle, Commissioner General of Excise M.J. Gunasiri, Madras Security Printers and Attorney General have been named as respondents.
The petitioner, Rathu Bambarendage Lasantha Kumara, states in his petition that the Excise Department has awarded the tender to the Madras Security Printers (MSP) without conducting proper technical evaluation OR following tender procedures.
The petitioner has said the introduction of the sticker with a code on bottles and cans cost only 15 cents as per practice adopted in many other countries but the Excise Department has decided to spend about two rupees per bottle or can.
The petitioner states that Matara District SJB MP Buddhika Pathirana raised the issue in Parliament on 20 April and the MP pointed out the questionable practice adopted by the Excise Department to grant the contract to MSP, a blacklisted company in India as well as in several other countries. MP Pathirana categorically pointed out that the State would incur a one-billion-rupee loss due to the deal.
The petitioner says the corrupt practice has caused a great foreign exchange loss to the government of Sri Lanka which is already in a grave state of affairs in terms of country’s foreign reserves.
The petitioner also states that the officials of the Excise Department continuously engaged in corrupt practices by not collecting dues from the liquor industry either by not implementing proper and transparent procedure or by giving contracts to corrupt dealers.
The MSP on many occasions “while taking contracts to supply security printing stickers of manufacturers has illegally collected exorbitant amounts from such manufacturers and caused enormous losses to the respective States,” and “is a notorious company world widely engaged in such corrupt practices,” states the petitioner.
The granting of contract to supply of the foolproof security stickers and/or Digital Image Printing on liquor products in terms of Excise Notification under the Excise Ordinance to MSP is illegal, unlawful, unreasonable, ultra vires and shall be quashed and/or cancelled, says the petitioner.
After considering the facts submitted by the petitioner, the court issued notice on respondents.
Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe PC, Attorneys-at-law Dasun Nagasena, Rakhita Rajapakshe, Madhwa Jayawardene and Jayamudhita Jayasuriya appeared for the petitioner.
Senior State Counsel, Suranga Wimalasena appeared for respondents Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa and the Secretary to the Ministry of Finance S.R. Attygalle.
Gamini Maparana PC and Naveen Marapana PC appeared for respondent MSP.
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
