News
EU Ambassadors visit rural development projects in Central Province
Colombo, 3 March 2022 – The European Union (EU) and EU Member States Ambassadors resident in Sri Lanka, traveled this week to Nuwara Eliya district in the Central Province for a two-day visit to EU-funded rural development projects, an EU news release said.
During their visit, the EU Ambassadors visited and handed over a number of infrastructure facilities in the region, such as a new Business Service Center in Nuwara Eliya, a renovated tea estate water supply system in Ragala, and a potato seed production unit in Kandapola. All these activities have been developed and funded under the EU programme ‘Support to integrated rural development in the most vulnerable districts of Uva and Central provinces’.
This programme, launched in 2017, was the first major European initiative in the region with approximately LKR 6 billion (EUR 30 million) of grant assistance provided to four districts of Nuwara Eliya, Matale, Badulla and Monaragala located in the Uva and Central Provinces.
“Over the past five years, the EU has partnered with both the Government of Sri Lanka, private sector and civil society organizations to improve the situation of small businesses, provide infrastructure for better health, nutrition, hygiene and sanitation practices, and to strengthen socio-economic service delivery by local authorities, community organizations and the private sector in both provinces,” the release said.
“The EU Ambassadors were informed that over 600 micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have been supported, out of which over 200 are women-owned. The SME development promotion initiatives have made an impressive impact on income and employment generation, market development, technology development and business skills development, ensuring private sector growth and sustainability. The programme has helped to reduce the barriers women entrepreneurs encounter in accessing finance and other services. Through these efforts over 1,500 jobs have been created, increasing women’s labour force participation.”
During the visit, the group was informed that the EU has assisted in providing safe drinking water to over 35,000 people and renovated water systems and latrines in over 70 schools and 30 villages. This has allowed over 4,000 children access to safe drinking water and improved sanitary facilities in their schools.
EU Ambassador, Denis Chaibi said “Promoting local economic development and social inclusion has been at the heart of our support for years. Since 2014, the EU and its Member States have provided more than EUR 210 million (approximately 48 billion rupees) to improve the quality of life of Sri Lankans, including in the Uva and Central Provinces, which are among the poorest areas in the country. This visit was undertaken in a spirit of Team Europe; my fellow European Ambassadors and I are happy to our long-term assistance bringing positive change to people’s lives.”
As part of the two-day visit, the EU Ambassadors also participated in the opening of the “Thé Kahata” photography exhibition, organized by the Centre for Policy Alternatives, initially supported under the EU-funded project ‘Strengthening the Reconciliation Process in Sri Lanka’ and implemented by GIZ. The exhibition, featuring over 100 photographs of daily life of upcountry Tamil communities, used art as a vehicle to promote dialogue and explore themes such as identity and inequality.
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
