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Govt. accused of giving Indian companies access to Lankans’ biometrics
By Rathindra Kuruwita
The Frontline Socialist Party (FSP) on Sunday (11) flayed the government for having agreed to grant some Indian companies access to the biometrics of Sri Lankans under the proposed Unitary Digital Identity Framework project.
FSP Education Secretary Pubudu Jayagoda said the High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka, Santosh Jha had, on 01 February, told the media that an Indian company would print national identity cards with biometric features soon. Jayagoda said there were some issues in the bids made by Indian companies in 2023, but they would be sorted out by mid-2024.
In 2023, the Indian government provided 450 million Indian rupees for the implementation of the Unitary Digital Identity Framework project in Sri Lanka. According to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) the vendor should be an Indian company.
The Sri Lankan government called for tenders to select a service provider, but the two Indian companies were disqualified because they were not able to comply with basic criteria.
Jayagoda said: “The ID cards we use now have bio-data like name, date of birth, etc. In 2015, the Registration of Persons Act was changed to allow the issuance of an ID with biometrics.
When this act was amended, only one MP opposed it. We don’t think that the state has the right to access biometrics without a court order. This harks back to the time of kings, when rulers owned the physical bodies of their subjects,” he said.
Jayagoda said that the issue of collecting biometrics had national security implications.
“This started during the Gotabaya Rajapaksa administration. In July 2021, criteria were prepared for a new electronic national identity card. On 28 January 2022, the Cabinet approved Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s Cabinet paper seeking approval to award the digital identification card project to an Indian company. This opened doors for India to step in. On 08 May 2023, the Ranil-Rajapaksa government called for tenders for the project that was only open for Indian companies. The entire project costs 41.09 billion rupees. India will only give about 22 billion rupees and will get access to the biometrics of 22 million Sri Lankans. What an amazing deal for India,” Jayagoda said.
Madras Security Printers (MSP) and Protean Technologies were the Indian companies that offered bids. MSP, who has been blacklisted in India as well as in several other countries, nearly got the tender.
“The project did not get off the ground due to public outrage. Now tenders will be called again. No matter what Indian company wins, this will give access to invaluable data to a foreign state. This is a great threat to national security. No other country has given access to the biometrics of its people to a foreign country.”
Jayagoda said a country like Singapore, which collects biometrics, has gone to great lengths to prevent access to data for private or foreign companies. In the 21st century, data and information are tools that can be used to dominate other states.
“We urge people to not give their biometrics to any foreign company,” he 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
