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Country heading in the opposite direction – UNP
Sri Lanka is travelling back into the stone age while all other countries of the world are moving ahead in technology and science, UNP Deputy Leader Ruwan Wijewardene said.
He was speaking at a function held on behalf of declaring open the Siyambalapewatte Mithuru Children’s Park which was built with personal funds of Wijewardene and the Biyagama, Siyambalapewatte Village Development Association. Wijewardene said that the problems of the country are aggravating gradually.
He said Power Minister Gamini Lokuge went around giving voice cuts that there would be an uninterrupted power supply, but the CEB was implementing scheduled power cuts.
The UNP deputy leader demanded to know whose words should people believe. “Should we believe the words of the Minister or the CEB? Since the day the Minister was making that promise, power cuts are effected throughout the country, region wise. People are now in the queues to buy candles. The government is ushering this nation towards the stone age it seems,” he said.
“There are shortages of all food items. We have gas, milk powder and kerosene oil queues. The latest is going to be the queue for candles.
“The CEB has obtained the permission of the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) for power cuts until July this year.
The CEB General Manager has told the media that they have obtained permission but they would not implement power cuts strictly. In the meantime, the Minister says that there would be no power cuts. However, there had been many instances of power cuts during the day time and night time. How can a country go forward in this manner? Will the investors come to a country with scheduled power cuts?” Wijewardene queried.
“People are wondering how they can survive. A situation has arisen where food items cannot be purchased tomorrow for the same price they were bought at today,” he said.
All essential services of the people have collapsed. The CEB says that the reason for this power crisis is that the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) not issuing furnace oil for them and that they are forced to impose power cuts. The CPC says they are not releasing furnace oil since payments have not been made for years on behalf of oil issued. The fact that is apparent here is the weak management of the government and due to those problems have arisen in every field of the country.
Several power plants have become inactive. We have doubts whether power plants are even being maintained properly. It has been decided to close the Oil Refinery at Sapugaskanda due to the lack of dollars. It is at this refinery that furnace oil required for power plants are being produced. When that is shut down, there is no way furnace oil can be imported. There are signs of dry weather in the immediate future and as a result we cannot trust in hydropower either,” Wijewardene said.
Chief Incumbent of the Sri Sambodhi Vihara of Siyambalapewatte, Ven Hambegamuwe Sashanasiri Nayaka Thera, Asanka Wijayalath of Siyambalapewatte Rural Development Society, Biyagama Electorate Manager Indrasiri Jayasinghe, Opposition leader of the Biyagama Pradeshiya Sabha Prasanna Sampath, Biyagama PS member Mali Algama were also present.
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
