News
‘DDO will cause loss of over Rs. 97 bn to banking sector’
‘CBSL employees receiving higher interest rate of 29 percent’
Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (PHU) leader and dissident SLPP MP Udaya Gammanpila yesterday (04) said that though the government insisted that its Domestic Debt Optimisation (DDO) programme would have no impact on the banking sector, banks could lose as much as Rs 97 bn.
Addressing the media at the PHU office at Pita Kotte, Attorney-at-Law Gammanpila said that examination of the Cabinet Memorandum on DDO, along with the Central Bank’s presentation to the Cabinet, had revealed the true situation.
The former Power and Energy Minister said: “According to Page 3 of the Cabinet Memorandum, dated 28.06.2023, presented by Minister of Finance Ranil Wickremesinghe, the outstanding value of Sri Lanka Development Bonds is $886 million, or Rs 272 billion. According to Page 29 of the Presentation of the Central Bank, there will be a capital reduction of 30% of the SLDB, which is known as haircut. Accordingly, there will be a haircut of Rs 81.6 billion.
85% of the SLDBs are held by domestic banks. Hence, the loss to be incurred to the banks because of the haircut is Rs 69 billion. Further, a 30% haircut is applicable to FCBU loans amounting to $323 million, or Rs 92 billion. 30% of this amount is Rs 28 billion. Accordingly, the total loss from both Bonds and FCBU loans are Rs 97 billion. Additionally, there will be an interest rate reduction of approximately 35%. We have not calculated the loss associated with interest rate reduction. Hence, definitely, there will be an adverse impact on commercial banks’ liquidity and profitability from the domestic debt optimisation process.”
The PHU leader questioned how the EPF had given special status to Central Bank employees, much to the disappointment of other members of the country’s largest social security scheme. Declaring that the responsibility of the Central Bank is to invest EPF funds wisely and provide sufficient and equal returns to the members, MP Gammanpila said that in 2022 Central Bank employees were paid 29 percent interest whereas others received nine percent. How come the EPF managed by the Central Bank treated beneficiaries differently, the MP asked.
The PHU leader demanded that the Central Bank employees’ EPF be merged with the main body and administered as one unit.
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
