News
Electricity Consumers Association fumes over giving monopoly hold to NFE on supplying LNG
By Ifham Nizam
The Electricity Consumers’ Association yesterday alleged that the US firm, New Fortress Energy, was gearing up to grab Sri Lanka’s natural gas reserves.
Association’s Secretary Sanjeewa Dhammika yesterday told journalists that the authorisation of an agreement for the supply of LNG without any legal background would not result in LNG price control and the American company would squeeze the country when opportunity came to sell gas at arbitrary prices.
Dhammika said that allowing a US company to monopolie the LNG supply iolated the rights of electricity consumers. Although the government claims that the monopoly would be limited to only five years, there is the danger of lasting indefinitely.
The Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) has been empowered by the Electricity Act to ensure that electricity is supplied at the lowest possible price, and as a result, transactions that supply electricity at high prices are barred.
The Union pointed out that during the period of good governance, the illegal transaction of buying 600 MW of electricity from Turkish ships berthed at Sri Lankan harbours was avoided because the Public Utilities Commission had powers.
“But there is no agency with any legal powers to regulate LNG supply. In such a scenario, handing over the supply of LNG to a foreign monopoly would push the country’s energy sector into a major crisis,” he warned.
Dhammika said in a statement: More than 2000 MW of LNG power plants are to be constructed in the near future. Accordingly, nearly 50 percent of the installed capacity in the country will be supplied by these power plants. Giving a foreign monopoly the power to decide the fate of 50 percent of the country’s electricity supply will instead result in electricity being generated at the monopoly’s arbitrary prices. Also, as the existing power plants can be powered by diesel, the country will be further victimized by the diesel mafia by supplying diesel instead of LNG at the behest of the LNG company.
Accordingly, the loss to the CEB will be further increased by this illegal transaction. The diesel mafia in the guise of LNG will work to impose that burden on the consumer. Accordingly, laws should be enacted to regulate the supply of LNG and delegate regulatory powers to the Public Utilities Commission before handing over the supply of LNG to a foreign monopoly. Then suppliers should be selected to supply LNG on a transparent basis based on competitive tenders, added Dhammika.
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
