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DEW: IMF can’t intervene in rescheduling international sovereign bonds; SJB disagrees
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Former outspoken Minister D. E. W. Gunasekera says the unprecedented crisis faced by cash-strapped Sri Lanka in meeting its external debt obligations in 2022 and 2023 cannot be solved by seeking IMF intervention.
The government has ignored repeated calls by various parties, both in and out of Parliament, to seek IMF intervention as it is aware the IMF is not in a position to intervene as close to half of the country’s external debt obligations were to the international money market, one-time General Secretary of the Communist Party told The Island yesterday.
Referring to the New York-based Fitch rating agency, downgrading Sri Lanka’s sovereign rating to ‘CC’ last Friday (17) as the country struggled to meet two major obligations repayment of two international sovereign bonds of $500 million due in January 2022 and $1 billion due in July 2022, the ex-lawmaker said the government and the Opposition should stop playing politics with this issue.
The former MP said that there were other scheduled repayments during this period both foreign and local.
The Fitch statement reflected the daunting challenges faced by Sri Lanka, the former CP Chief said, urging the government to announce how it intended to meet its debt obligations.
The latest downgrade was announced in the wake of Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa leaving the country. Foreign Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris, who is also the Chairman of the ruling SLPP, will handle the finance portfolio.
Gunasekera said that the IMF’s role would be limited as well over 50 percent of total debt comprised international sovereign bonds and Chinese and Japanese loans.
“The government also faces foreign-currency debt service payments, including principal and interest, of $6.9 billion in 2022, equivalent to nearly 430% of official gross international reserves as of November 2021. Cumulative foreign-currency debt service, including interest and principal, amounts to about $26 billion from 2022 through to 2026,” the rating agency said.
Asked whether the IMF could help re-schedule international sovereign bonds, former Central Bank Governor W.D. Lakshman told The Island that it was possible. The government in Sept replaced Lakshman who had served as Governor since Dec 2019 with Ajith Nivard Cabraal. Underscoring the importance of addressing the issue at hand, Lakshman emphasized that Sri Lanka had never defaulted before.
SJB spokesman Dr. Harsha de Silva, MP, reiterated that the IMF could reschedule international sovereign bonds, too. The former State Minister said that was his position throughout this period.
Gunasekera, too, stood by his assertion that the IMF couldn’t intervene in this regard.
Former Governor of Uva, Southern and Central Provinces Rajith Keerthi Tennakoon yesterday said that the snowballing problem couldn’t be solved by those countries willing to help Sri Lanka and international lending agencies as Sri Lanka obtained the majority of loans from the capital market. Tennakoon asserted that Sri Lanka faced a huge challenge in addressing this issue amidst continuing political turmoil. The civil society activist emphasized that those who sought to address the crisis by printing lorry loads of money owe the country an explanation. The debt-serving crisis and the growing difficulty in meeting the oil bill would ultimately overwhelm the country, Tennakoon said.
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
