News
COPE summons SriLankan, etc
… accumulated UL losses Rs 326 bn
Representatives of debt-ridden SriLankan Airlines, Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation and several other institutions have been asked to appear before the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE), its Chairman Prof. Charitha Herath has said yesterday.
Accumulated losses at SriLankan Airlines have been estimated at Rs 326 bn.
The decision was taken at the special COPE meeting held in Parliament yesterday (22), the Communication Department of Parliament stated in a statement issued.
The following is the text of the statement. The meeting was held to decide on how future meetings should be held in the midst of COVID-19 as COPE Committee meetings could not be held as usual.
Accordingly, the committee members agreed to summon SriLankan Airlines on July 06th and Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation on July 07th before the COPE Committee to review the current context of the relevant institutions.
It is also expected to inquire into the current status of Litro Gas Lanka Company and Litro Gas Terminal Lanka Company under the Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation. In addition, the committee members agreed to summon institutions which could not be summoned previously starting from the 08th of July.
Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) meeting in progress (pic courtesy Parliament)
The COPE Committee also focused on the Mahapola Higher Education Scholarship Trust Fund, which is currently under the Mahapola Trust Fund which has been proposed to be taken up in Parliament for debate.
In addition, the methodology for holding COPE Committee meetings in line with health regulations in the face of the prevailing COIVD situation was also taken into discussion. Accordingly, o6 officials the Chairman of the relevant Government institution, officials in charge of institutional accounts as well as the respective Secretary to the relevant Ministry of which the government institution is affiliated to, are scheduled to be summoned before the Committee whilst attention will be given in having the other officials connect through a digital platform.
Ministers Mahinda Amaraweera, Sarath Weerasekera, State Ministers Susil Premajayantha, Indika Anuruddha Herath, D.V. Chanaka, Members of Parliament Rauff Hakeem, Jagath Pushpakumara, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Eran Wickramaratne, Harsha de Silva, Nalin Bandara, S.M. Marikkar were present at the COPE meeting.
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
