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Defence Secretary dismisses allegations against Head of SIS
By Ifham Nizam
Justice would be done for those who had lost their lives, those who had suffered injuries due to the Easter Sunday attacks, Defence Secretary Kamal Gunaratne, said yesterday dismissing allegations that Zahran Hashim had been paid by the state intelligence an Major General Suresh Sallay, the Director of the State Intelligence Service (SIS) had links to the perpetrators of the carnage.
Addressing the WebEx, organised by the President’s Media Centre (PMC), the Defence Secretary stressed that Sallay had served under him and the latter did not know Arabic and was married to a Buddhist and had two sons following that faith.
Gunaratne also said that he had had lengthy discussions with all Islamic religious groups including the scholarly group, the All Ceylon Jammiyathul Ulama (ACJU), and he would look into the concerns raised by Samagi Jana Balavegaya parliamentarian Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka in Parliament recently over the factual errors in the 6th volume of Mahawansa.
The Defence Secretary said that Fonseka had been his senior and Army Chief during the war, and therefore he had a lot of regard Fonseka despite differences of opinion.
He assured that they would discuss with the President and take steps rectify errors pointed out by the Field Marshal.
Responding to a question, he said he would speak to Field Marshal Fonseka and obtain the document he tabled in Parliament pertaining to the errors in the 6th volume of Mahawansa.
“He tabled a document comprising some 70 pages. I will speak to him and get it down. I will take action to rectify the errors, if any.”
Fonseka told Parliament recently that the government should take action to rectify factual errors in the 6th volume of Mahawansa with regard to the war against the LTTE. He claimed that there were more than 70 factual errors in the 6th Volume.
Capt. Indika de Silva, Media Director, Naval Headquarters, said that the Sri Lanka Navy also had a played a major role in protecting the sovereignty of the country, especially when it came to guarding and patrolling its seas.
He said the Sri Lanka Navy had seized more than Rs. 35 billion worth of narcotics during the past two years alone, making it a great service to the country and the future of the youth as the guardians of the nation’s first ring of defence.
The Civil Engineering Division of the Sri Lanka Navy had been making huge contributions to the construction sector. It was also committed to the welfare of the people and had implemented several projects to provide clean drinking water to the people, he said.
Capt. De Silva said that the Sri Lanka Navy was working hard to ensure the security of the Coastal Ecological Zone and protecting the mangroves through replanting programmes.
He said the Navy was also actively involved in pandemic control and the national vaccination drive.
Media Director, Sri Lanka Air Force Headquarters Group Captain Dushan Wijesinghe also spoke.
He said that with the outbreak of Covid-19, the SLAF was committed to disinfection. In addition it was mitigating urban traffic congestion as well as contributing to environmental conservation projects including aerial seeding in protected areas.
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
