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Envoy says India-Sri Lanka should build framework to discuss maritime concerns, like Chinese ship
Amidst signs of New Delhi’s disappointment over Colombo’s decision to allow a Chinese tracking vessel to dock in Hambantota, Sri Lanka’s envoy in India called for building a new “framework” on how to deal with such maritime security concerns in the future, said a report published online by The Hindu.Speaking to The Hindu, days after the Chinese satellite and missile tracking ship, the Yuan Wang 5 had departed from the Sri Lankan port, after “refuelling and replenishing supplies”, High Commissioner Milinda Moragoda said that Colombo had kept the Modi government briefed at the “highest levels” through the controversy.
In a possible sign of the strain in ties over the issue, the Ministry of External Affairs had issued a rare “travel guidance” on Thursday cautioning Indian tourists about visiting Sri Lanka, which is in the middle of a deep economic crisis. Without commenting on the MEA advisory, Moragoda said it was important to look to the future of ties, particularly in terms of India-Sri Lanka cooperation in the economic and strategic sphere. Apart from economic assistance of $3.8 billion, including credit lines from India, New Delhi and Colombo are discussing more trade ties, a power-sharing grid, and infrastructure projects in renewable energy and oil storage. India has also supported Sri Lanka in talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a bailout.
“There is no question that the docking of the ship was an issue between us. The question is how to build a framework for such problems in order to avoid them in the future, and not to allow this kind of issue to lead to a trust deficit,” Moragoda said, adding that despite “ups and downs”, Sri Lanka would like to “build an equilibrium in the relationship, where there are no surprises”.
In an unusually public move, the Modi government had last month conveyed its concerns over the docking of the ship, believed to be a satellite research and surveillance vessel. While the Sri Lankan government had asked China to defer the ship’s plans entirely after India’s objections, the Chinese government had only agreed to delay its arrival in Hambantota, by a few days, and eventually the Yuan Wang 5 docked at the port, from August 16-22.
According to Moragoda, the permissions for the docking had been granted to China amidst a period of political turmoil in Colombo, when President Ranil Wickremesinghe took charge after the ouster of previous President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, as well as the economic crisis, leading to “not enough attention” being given to the case. According to official data, the visit of the ship had also followed after at least 10 research vessels of a different class had docked in Colombo, between 2019-2022, without raising any concerns in Delhi.
“In this particular case, there could have been a level of confusion in Colombo when it came to differentiating between the classes of vessels and technologies involved. Unfortunately, once the approvals were given, it was hard to take them back,” Mr. Moragoda said, adding that Sri Lanka was hoping to focus on strengthening lines of communication, as well as high-level exchanges, and people-to-people ties. According to sources, both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Wickremesinghe are expected to travel to Tokyo to attend former Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s state funeral.
On a visit to Gujarat last week, Sri Lankan Tourism Minister Harin Fernando had also pitched for more Indian tourists, saying that he hoped that at least 10 lakh international tourists, mostly Indians, would visit this year. However, striking a cautionary note on Thursday, the MEA’s spokesperson said the MEA encouraged Indians to exercise all care and caution while in Sri Lanka, and “examine all relevant factors, including currency convertibility and the fuel situation before undertaking any essential travel to Sri Lanka”.
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
