News
Harsha hints at Chinese hurdle in debt relief talks
By Saman Indrajith
SBJB MP Harsha de Silva said that he had asked the Gotabaya Rajapaksa administration to seek IMF assistance in 2020.
“At that time a U.S dollar was selling at Rs 200. The interest rates were around six percent. Inflation was around six percent. The situation is completely different today. Our interest rates are around 35 percent and the inflation is over 50 percent. Dollar sells at Rs 370. We have defaulted.”
No foreign nation or international institution had any faith in Sri Lanka, De Silva said.
“Now, we are begging the IMF to help us. The IMF will give us 2.9 billion dollars. It’s not the money that’s important but after we get the money other countries will think we are now following a viable plan to get out of the crisis. IMF and economic reforms are the two sides of the same coin,” he said,. When he suggested to the Rajapaksa administration to go before the IMF, the situation was simpler, de Silva said.
Then it would have been an agreement between Sri Lanka and the IMF.
“Now there are three parties, simply speaking. The government, the IMF, and our lenders. There are bilateral lenders like Japan, China, and India as well as private entities that have bought our bonds. If we can’t come to an understanding with the official creditors, the IMF can’t give us money. That’s their policy,” he said.
India has given a written financing assurance to the IMF in support of Sri Lanka’s economic revival. China has not yet given this assurance, the SJB MP said.
“China has not given these assurances because of two reasons. China says Sri Lanka has promised the IMF that by 2032, the country will reduce the debt ratio, compared to the GDP, to 95 percent. It is now around 140 percent. They are just not ready to accept we can do that,” he said.
Sri Lanka’s Gross Financing Need is 31 percent now, he said. This is one of the highest percentages in the world, de Silva said.
“We have told the IMF that we will reduce this to 13 percent by 2027. China also doesn’t think we can do that. They say they don’t really buy into the debt sustainable analysis that Sri Lanka and the IMF have agreed upon. Their EXIM bank has given us a letter saying that they will provide relief for another 10 months. During that time the two sides can talk about how debt can be restructured,” he said.
However, recently it was reported that there was a loophole that the IMF can use to give us money, De Silva said. That is, if one major lender does not agree on debt restructuring, the IMF can give a loan if the disagreeing lender has loaned less than 50 percent of total bilateral debt, he said.
“Chinese loans were about 53 percent of total bilateral debt. So by considering loans by EXIM bank as bilateral loans and by recategorizing loans by China Development Bank as commercial loans, we have reduced Chinese loan percentage to about 49 percent of total bilateral debt. The government is trying to use that loophole and access IMF money. However, on Wednesday the IMF said that they need Sri Lanka to come to an agreement with China. So this is where we are,” 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
