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Govt. to issue all-country passports to Lankans in TN refugee camps
CHENNAI:Malarmathi Rajendran is thrilled. She will be joining her son Navaneethan soon in London where he is pursuing higher studies. “I could never have dreamed that this could prove to be such an easy process,” said Malamrmathi, a Sri Lankan refugee from the Salem camp, after receiving the all-country passport issued for the first time in Chennai by the Sri Lankan deputy high commission.
Earlier, refugees were only issued one-way passports to Sri Lanka and there was uncertainty whether they could get back to India with the same ‘refugee’ status.
Malarmathi was among 200 refugee applicants who received all-country passports on Friday from Sri Lanka high commissioner to India Kshenuka Senewiratne, Tamil Nadu minister for non-resident Tamils and refugees welfare Gingee K S Masthan, governor of the Eastern Province in Sri Lanka Senthil Thondaman and deputy high commissioner of Sri Lanka to southern India D Venkateshwaran.
The Sri Lankan government has now decided to issue all-country passports to Sri Lankan Tamils living in rehabilitation/refugee camps across Tamil Nadu. This would mean that all-country passport holders can apply for any country visa from India itself. A decision to this effect was taken in July last year following a discussion held between President Ranil Wickremesinghe and representatives of Tamil parties.
So far, more than 3,500 applicants have shown interest to apply for the passports under this scheme and 900 applicants have already applied for passports, said an official release. The significance of this initiative is that for the first time, the Sri Lanka government, under this initiative has considered issuing passports to children born in India to Sri Lankan parents, who are resettled in Tamil Nadu if they meet the necessary documents requirements, the release said.
It is not clear if the released convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, including Sriharan alias Murugan, Santhan, Robert Payas and Jayakumar, lodged in the Trichy special camp, would be eligible for the all-country passport. Murugan, Payas and Jayakumar have pleaded with the Indian government against their extradition to Sri Lanka. Santhan, meanwhile, has filed a writ petition seeking to go back to the Island nation to visit his ailing mother.
Early last year, the Sri Lankan department of immigration and emigration had received a list of 2,678 Sri Lankans living in rehabilitation camps in south India, eligible for receiving the all-country passports. Subsequently, a decision was taken to issue all-country passports to the rest of the Sri Lankan Tamils living in rehabilitation camps in south India.
A total of 92,000 Sri Lankans, who came to India both by legal and illegal means, are currently living in Tamil Nadu. Nearly 58,500 of them are accommodated in 106 rehabilitation camps across the state and around 33,500 reside outside the camps under Tamil Nadu police registration.(ToI)
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
