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Engineers’ union guns for CEB spokesman over his comments on live TV show
by Ifham Nizam
The Ceylon Electricity Board Engineers’ Union (CEBEU) yesterday expressed displeasure at some comments made by CEB Media Spokesman during a live telecast called ‘Big Focus’ on the Derana Television Channel on Tuesday (February 20, 2024).
CEBEU Joint Secretary Buddika Wijeyawardhna said: “We urged the General Manager of the CEB to clarify the stance of the CEB in this regard and immediately issue an official statement apologising to the general public and, especially, to the children,”
The Union believes that the comments made about electricity consumers and the public of Sri Lanka by the Media Spokesperson of the CEB are extremely horrendous and outrageous, and severely damaging the image of the Ceylon Electricity Board and the GoSL.
“As such, we demand your immediate attention to the following disgraceful statements made by the spokesperson of the CEB among other unprofessional comments.
1) He confirmed that he was talking not only as the media spokesperson but as a mix of being a unionist and the spokesperson of the CEB.
2) He deliberately labelled the poor people who work in the tea estates as drunkards and they live gratifying lives.
3) He said electricity is not needed for the education of the children and urged them to use kerosene lamps as he did in his past.
4) He accused the dead father, in Badulla, of being a drunkard, who unfortunately lost his life trying to get an electricity connection from a neighbouring house, so his children could study at night due to his supply disconnection, due to non-payment.
5) He said that he has personally connected 750 MW of Mini Hydro Power Plants, whereas in Sri Lanka we presently have around 430 MW of such Mini Hydro Power Plants
6) He criticized a retired AGM of the CEB for following what has been in an Act of Parliament and which has been clarified by the Attorney General as well
7) He openly challenged to give him the AGM post of Renewable, and if so, he’ll take action to pass all the renewable projects within a month.
We believe that under the rules of disciplinary procedure of the CEB, this misconduct can be categorized as a major offence as per clauses 2, 8, 14 and 20 under the list of major offences in Schedule A. In our opinion, unless the appropriate actions are taken immediately in this regard, this will set a very bad example to all the other employees of the CEB, as well.
Further, we wish to bring to your notice that the CEB Board has decided that employees who hold positions of unions cannot work in specific workplaces in the CEB even violating labour rights of such employees and yet we are surprised to see that this particular person has been allowed to hold the post of media spokesperson when it’s evident that he is abusing that title.”
We believe that it’s your duty as the General Manager of the CEB to clarify the stance of the CEB in this regard and immediately issue an official statement apologizing to the general public and, especially to the children, regarding the disgraceful comments made by the media spokesperson of the CEB. If not, the public may assume that what’s been told by the media spokesperson is the stance of the CEB.
“As a professional trade union representing the engineers at the CEB, we denounced these repulsive and shameful remarks and demanded an immediate explanation from the CEB management regarding the official position and acceptance of these remarks. We also wish to categorically refute all of the false statements made by the aforementioned media spokesperson, including the remarks made about the engineering professionals of the CEB”.
The Union also said that under the rules of disciplinary procedure of the CEB, this misconduct can be categorized as a major offence and demanded appropriate disciplinary actions.
The Joint Secretary added that even though the CEB Board has decided that employees who hold positions of unions cannot work in specific workplaces in the CEB even violating labour rights of such employees and to our surprise this particular person has been allowed to hold the post of media spokesperson when it’s evident that he is abusing that title.
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
