News
Ex-CBSL Chief backs IMF conditions for resumption of bailout process
… asks for early cross-party consensus
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Former Governor of the Central Bank Dr. Indrajith Coomaraswamy yesterday (11) threw his weight behind the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) call for far reaching measures meant to stabilize the economy. The Washington headquartered lending agency recently suspended the US 2.9 bn bailout package, pending an agreement on 16 specific recommendations.
Dr. Coomaraswamy said: “There is a strong case for tabling the IMF’s GDA (Governance Diagnostic Assessment) in Parliament with a view to obtaining cross-party consensus on implementing the recommendations contained therein, in accordance with the laws of the country.” The economist said so in response to The Island query whether the Wickremesinghe-Rajapaksa government should heed the IMF advice in this regard.
Dr. Coomaraswamy said: “The relevant Parliamentary Committees can then have oversight of the implementation of the process. Civil society and business associations should also play an active role in advocating implementation and then monitoring its progress.”
Dr. Coomaraswamy served as the Central Bank Governor since July 2016 till Gotabaya Rajapaksa assumed the presidency in November 2019. He was brought in place of Arjuna Mahendran who was denied an extension in the wake of Treasury bond scams perpetrated in February 2015 and March 2019.
Top SJB spokesperson Dr. Harsha de Silva said that the IMF report is nothing but an indictment on Sri Lanka at every level and the most significant roadblock to financial recovery lies in the country’s persistent failure to address its deep-rooted corruption.
Dr. de Silva emphasised that the country wouldn’t get another opportunity to resume the recovery process if the government sought to avoid the IMF’s recommendations by taking cover behind technical issues.
The following are the IMF’s demands (1) Establishment of an Advisory Committee by November 2023 to nominate commissioners for the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC), (2)
Disclosure of asset declarations of senior officials by July 2024, (3) Enactment of proceeds of crime legislation by April 2024, (4) Amendment of the National Audit Act, (5) Finalization of implementation of regulations for beneficial ownership information and creating a public registry by April 2024, (6) Enactment of Public Procurement Law by December 2024, (7) Publishing reports on increasing competitive tendered procurement contracts, targeting agencies with low levels of competition, (8) Requiring the publication of all public procurement contracts above LKRs 1 billion, (9) Implementing the State-Owned Enterprise Reform
Policy to ensure ethical management, (10) Abolishing or suspending the Strategic Development Projects Office Act until a transparent process for evaluating pro-posals is established, (11) Amending tax legislation to prevent unilateral tax changes without parliamentary approval, (12) Implementing short-term anti-corruption measures within revenue departments to enhance oversight and sanctions, (13) Exploring options for new management arrangements for the Employees Provident Fund to avoid conflicts of interest, (14) Revising legislation, regulations, and processes for stronger oversight in the banking sector, (15) Establishing an online digital land registry and ensuring progress in registering/titling-state land and, (16) Expanding the resources and skills available to the Judicial Service Commission to strengthen justice.
Asked whether he had the blessings of the SJB parliamentary group in this regard, Dr. de Silva said that his declaration of support for the IMF’s proposals in Parliament was done with the backing of his party. A long delay in reaching consensus on this matter could be catastrophic, the Colombo District lawmaker warned no one should seek political mileage out of the continuing political, economic and social crisis.
SLPP National List member Prof. Ranjith Bandara, Chairman of the parliamentary watchdog committee COPE said that actually Sri Lanka should have adopted these measures years ago. The academic said that there couldn’t be any dispute over the need to implement IMF proposals meant to stabilize the situation. It would be a grave mistake on our part to believe the IMF’s proposals were the panacea for all our ills but proper implementation would definitely improve setup thereby providing the powers that be the time and space to undertake long term solutions.
Dr. Bandara found fault with the political party setup that conveniently failed to address the impending crisis years ago. Responding to another query, Dr. Bandara said that Sri Lanka should implement IMF proposals because they should have been carried out anyway.
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
