News
Environment Minister blames woes of public on politicians, bureacrats
“I experimented with organic farming successfully’
By Ifham Nizam
A senior minister yesterday blamed the economic downturn on politicians as well as public servants, who, he said, had failed to do their job in the 74 years since Independence.
Environment Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said so, addressing an officials meeting at the Ministry of Environment to commence the duties in the New Year 2022.
The pledge of commitment by the public service was read out and religious observances were held at the commencement of the New Year duties.
The Secretary to the Ministry of Environment, Dr. Anil Jasinghe and other officials were also present.
Amaraweera observed that one out of every 15 people in Sri Lanka was a public servant. “Maybe this year the figure will increase further. The government has decided to confirm 50,000 graduates in service. Also, another 100,000 have been recruited to the public service. Only by strengthening the public service can a country be developed.
“However, the economic development during the past 74 years has not been at a satisfactory level. Politicians are directly responsible for that. I am also responsible for this situation. Also, the per capita debt in our country today is around Rs. 800,000. All this shows that politicians as well as public servants have failed.
We have a big target for 2022. We have to spend Rs. 2000 million. The government gave us more money not because we have money. Therefore, the money has to be used effectively. Last year, some funds were returned to the Treasury because of Covid. It will not happen again this year. We all need to work efficiently.”
The Minister also expressed concern about the Minister of Agriculture complaining that neither the Ministry of Health nor the Ministry of Environment helped him in his organic farming efforts. Denying the charge, he said: “We started organic farming about two years ago. He said he had experimented with organic farming successfully. As the Minister of Agriculture I started organic farming in my paddy field and got a good harvest.
But now it is not easy to get the farmers back to organic farming. Agriculture policies have made people bitter,” he added.
Dr. Anil Jasinghe, the Secretary to the Ministry of Environment said, “We as the Ministry of Environment did a lot of work last year. But there was more we had to do. Therefore, we have been given Rs. 2000 million this year. We must not allow the projects we implement this year to drag on until 2023. All the steps we take this year must be completed within this year.”
“Last year we concluded a programme to identify sensitive ecological zones. We have decided to continue the programme this year as well. We have already identified about 200 sensitive ecological zones.
They should all be completed this year. Therefore, it was our responsibility to prepare all future programmes while protecting the environment as expected by the government, he 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
