News
Govt. makes subsidised chemical fertiliser available to seed paddy producers
By Rathindra Kuruwita
The government would buy chemical fertiliser at a higher prices and distribute it among farmers who produce seed paddy for the next Maha Season, Minister of Agriculture, Mahinda Amaraweera said yesterday at the post-Cabinet Press Conference.
Minister Amaraweera also urged farmers to start agricultural activities before 10 June.
He said that they would purchase organic fertiliser from domestic producers and distribute them among the farmers initially.
“There have been some issues with the organic fertiliser produced last year. We will take steps to minimise these problems this year,” he said.
The Minister said that there is a lot of demand for chemical fertiliser and that the government has started several high level discussions to procure adequate amounts of chemical fertiliser.
“The President and Prime Minister have spoken to several countries that are key exporters of chemical fertiliser. As you are aware the top chemical fertiliser producers have ceased exporting. The Ukraine crisis has made matters worse. We have asked for support from seven ambassadors of countries that are key exporters of chemical fertiliser,” he said.
Minister Amaraweera said that India had promised to supply 65,000 metric tonnes of fertiliser and discussions on that are ongoing. He is in constant communication with the Sri Lankan High Commissioner in New Delhi and the Indian High Commissioner in Colombo about fast tracking the delivery.
“I will meet the Indian High Commissioner in Colombo today and discuss further. We ask farmers not to wait till fertiliser arrives in Sri Lanka. The government has planned many concessions for farmers. Even if farmers purchase chemical fertiliser at a high price from the market, we will compensate them later. We need to think about the next Maha season too. We need seed paddy for that. The government will buy chemical fertiliser at a higher cost from the market and give it to farmers who produce seed paddy that is needed,” he said.
There is also a shortage of rice already and the government has already imported over 300,000 metric tonnes of rice and more will be imported soon. The Ministry of Trade has started the import process already, so that consumers do not need to fret, he said.
“The Paddy Marketing Board too has about 40 000 metric tonnes of paddy and they will be made rice and sold to the consumer. We will try to ensure that there is no need to import rice after the next Maha season,” 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
