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CP urges centre-left alliance of political forces to save country from coming ungovernable anarchyt
A scientific, pragmatic, and people-centered approach to our economic crisis can only be delivered by a political alliance formed with a combination of center-left political forces, the Communist Party of Sri Lanka (CPSL) has said in a statement.
The first step in that direction, it said “should be to distance ourselves from the neoliberal economic strategy based on 45 years of experience. That task cannot be accomplished by the right-wing political forces, since they as a class, have neither the will nor the ability. Accordingly, fulfilling that historical need and task is assigned only by a political alliance formed with a combination of center-left political forces,” CPSL said.
At this critical juncture, if the progressive, left, and patriotic forces neglect their historical responsibility, the country may turn into an ungovernable state of anarchy and right-wing forces will not hesitate to allow extra-legal or even military intervention, the CPSL said.
“Accordingly, the Communist Party of Sri Lanka emphatically expresses the imperative need for a broad-based political alliance of anti-imperialist progressive and patriotic forces in order to accomplish the national task of building the economy based on a common minimum programme,” it said.
Given below is the CPSL statement in full.
“The Central Committee of the Communist Party of Sri Lanka, which met on September 23, 2023, focused its attention on the current state of the economic crisis facing the country and the political, social and cultural trends that have arisen from it. It also decided to keep the people informed about the party’s view-point, political position and the next steps to be taken.
“The Communist Party has emphatically stated that the real factors behind the economic crisis that erupted in March 2022 are the policies related to the neo-liberal economic strategy and the current electoral system with the executive presidential system introduced to ensure the continued implementation of those policies. Factors such as corruption, inefficiency of economic management and politicization of public service are also negative trends arising from the neoliberal economic strategy itself.
“The crisis was further aggravated by the government’s official announcement on April 12, 2022 that the country was financially bankrupt and the devaluation of the rupee by almost 80%. When the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) failed to provide a substitute for political leadership, President Gotabaya fled the country after handing over the control of the country to his main rival, Ranil Wickremesinghe.
“During Ranil Wickremesinghe’s almost 1 1/2 years in office, his only recourse was to seek refuge in the International Monetary Fund. Ranil Wickremesinghe has so far failed to take any effective steps other than taking more loans to repay the debt. Oppression and suppression are the main features of his governance.
“The rupee deficit created with the reduction of state revenue from 24% to 6% (of gross domestic product), as a result of the tax restrictions, tax amnesties, tax reliefs and concessions provided to the able class during the period of 1978-2023, has not been remedied yet other than imposing indirect taxes on the common people and direct taxes on the middle class.
“It should be acknowledged that the economic crisis facing the country has been affected by the global economic recession and the global financial turmoil. Geopolitical challenges have also played a role.
“However, on the other hand, it is now abundantly clear that a more favorable international economic environment is being created by the emerging new world economic order, and through it, a change in the world balance of economic forces is taking place. Accordingly, the Global South in general and Asian economies in particular are strengthening.
“In the above national and international context, a scientific, pragmatic and people-centered approach should be taken in finding solutions to our economic crisis.
“The first step in that direction should be to distance ourselves from the neoliberal economic strategy based on 45 years of experience. That task cannot be accomplished by the right-wing political forces, since they as a class, have neither the will nor the ability.
“Accordingly, fulfilling that historical need and task is assigned only by a political alliance formed with a combination of center-left political forces.
“At this critical juncture, if the progressive, left and patriotic forces neglect their historical responsibility, the country may turn into an ungovernable state of anarchy. Likewise, right-wing forces will not hesitate to allow extra-legal or even military intervention.
Accordingly, the Communist Party of Sri Lanka emphatically expresses the imperative need for a broad-based political alliance of anti-imperialist progressive and patriotic forces in order to accomplish the national task of building the economy based on a common minimum programme.”
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
