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Former senior public servants among appointments to National Commissions
The majority of members of the National Procurement Commission appointed last week by President Ranil Wickremesinghe are retired senior public servants with the new chairman of the Finance Commission also appointed last week is a former Deputy Secretary to the Treasury reappointed to the post.
All members of the two Commissions have been appointed on the basis of nominations by the Constitutional Council, the President’s Media Division (PMD) said. There’s an ethnic mix in the composition of the two Commissions.
While one former director of a private sector engineering group has also been appointed to the Procurement Commission, while the members of the Finance Commission have been selected for their financial exertise.
Mrs W. Sudharma Karunaratne was appointed as Chairperson of the National Procurement Commission with Warnakulasuriya Ivan Tissera, D. Piyasiri Daranagama, Sumandiran Sinnakandu, and A.G. Pubudu Asanga Gunawansa serving as its other members.
Mrs W. Sudharma Karunaratne earlier served as Secretary, Ministry of Plantation Industry and Director General of the Sri Lanka Customs. Piyasiri Daranagama was former National Project Director at Provincial Road Development Project while Sumandiran Sinnakandu was the Chief Internal Auditor at Prime Minister’s Office. A.G. Pubudu Asanga Gunawansa was a director at the Serendib Engineering Group Pvt Ltd.
Meanwhile, members were also appointed to the Finance Commission on the directives of the President. Accordingly, Sumit Abeysinghe will serve as Chairman of the Finance Commission, with Tuan Naleen Osen and Mayan Vamadevan appointed as fellow members, President’s Media Division said.
Abeysinghe has been in the Chairman of the Finance commission and previously served as Deputy Treasury Secretary. Tuan Naleen Osen and Mayan Vamadevan were appointed based on their expertise in financial management and their previous experience in the field.
The Finance Commission is responsible for advising the President and the Government on financial matters and allocating funds to provincial councils. The commission plays a crucial role in ensuring that funds are allocated in a fair and efficient manner and that financial resources are effectively utilized to meet the country’s development goals.
The appointment of new members to the commission is expected to further strengthen its role in promoting transparency, accountability, and good governance in the management of public finances. The new members have been tasked with working closely with the existing members of the commission to develop strategies and policies that will help the country achieve its economic objectives, the PMD 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
