News
Ex-COPE chief calls for punitive surcharge
Litro legal wrangle:
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Former Chairman of the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) Prof. Charitha Herath has said the government is duty bound to prevent questionable actions of those who are at the helm of public sector enterprises.
The MP has suggested that those responsible for such actions be made to compensate the relevant enterprise for losses they cause.
Addressing the members of the Sri Lanka Audit Services Association at its 63rd AGM held at the Waters Edge, Battaramulla, early this week, Prof. Herath revealed that the state-owned Litro Gas had resorted to legal action at a cost of approximately Rs 20 mn in a bid to prevent the Auditor General’s scrutiny of its transactions.
Prof. Herath said that Litro shouldn’t be allowed to avoid government supervision under any circumstances.
If necessary laws had been available, a surcharge could have been imposed on those responsible, Prof. Herath said.
Pointing out that the Litro management had moved the Supreme Court in a bid to block the Auditor General, Prof. Herath said 99 percent of the shares of Litro were held by the State-owned Sri Lanka Insurance Company (SLIC).
During the first session of the 9th Parliament, the COPE inquired into the circumstances under which Litro had avoided the State auditing process for nearly two years.
Prof. Herath said: “We were finally able to defeat their attempt. Auditing resumed after the change at the top.”
In July last year, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa brought in Theshara Jayasinghe as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at Litro. The Viyathmaga activist succeeded Anil Koswatte. Subsequent to the change at the top, a comprehensive audit that had been undertaken on the instructions of Auditor General WPC Wickremaratne recently revealed the amounts categorised as legal fees. Among those whose services had been obtained were Romesh de Silva, PC and Sanjeeva Jayawardena, PC, Chairman of the Monetary Board Risk Oversight Committee, in addition to being the Chairman of the Ethics Committee of the Central Bank.
MP Herath alleged that a despicable attempt had been made to make use of a line or two in the Constitution to deprive the AG of the right to audit the profit-making enterprise.
Prof. Herath asked whether some heads of public enterprises acted outside the purview of the top political authority. MP Herath called for legal provision for recovering losses due to questionable decisions taken by those at the helm of such enterprises.
The UNP-led yahapalana government rejected government auditors’ plea for provision in the National Audit Bill (NAB) to recover losses caused by questionable actions. The Parliament endorsed the NAB in early July 2018 after the removal of proposed provisions as regards surcharge.
Prof. Herath paid a glowing tribute to government auditors for accepting the challenge as well as the difficult task of maintaining financial discipline regardless of threats. The former COPE Chief acknowledged that the auditors faced intimidations, pressure as well as threats from decision makers at the highest levels of the government as well as those involved in corruption.
The National List MP pointed out that as the audit service hadn’t been accommodated within any ministry, governments tend to ignore the difficulties experienced by them. The MP stressed that the auditors served the State and not any particular government formed by a political party or an alliance.
MP Herath explained how institutions that had been independent were gradually brought under ministries over the years leaving the Parliament and the Auditor General as the only ones outside the purview of ministers. According to the former COPE Chief Litro wasn’t the only enterprise that had declared that the parliamentary watchdog committee as well as the Auditor General did not have any authority to scrutinise their transactions.
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
