News
Heated exchange over keeping two choppers at President’s disposal
Ministries, Prez Secretariat owed SLAF nearly Rs 1 bn
By Saman Indrajith
The government and the Opposition had a heated exchange yesterday in Parliament over the state-owned helicopters placed at the disposal of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and an allegation that the Presidential Secretariat had not paid the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) for chopper rides.
SJB MP Hesha Withanage asked why the Air Force continued to provide chopper rides to the President and his office at a time it has not been able to recover as much as Rs. 1 billion from several state institutions. He asked what those institutions were and how much they owed the SLAF.
Minister Chamal Rajapaksa said that the 10 state institutions were Ministry of Upcountry New Villages, Estate Infrastructure & Community Development (Rs 595,570), Housing and Construction Ministry (Rs 836,165), Megapolis and Western Development Ministry (Rs 542,454), Ministry of Labour and Labour Relations (Rs 720,225), Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Ministry (Rs 75,690), Ports and Civil Aviation Ministry (Rs 416,002), Foreign Affairs Ministry (Rs 1,621,254), Presidential Secretariat (Rs 2,398,099), National Policies and Economic Affairs Ministry (Rs 1,314,166) and Prime Minister’s Office (Rs 541,777).
Some of the dues could not be recovered as their documents do not exist in ministries because the statutory bodies had been shifted and changed from ministry to ministry several times. Therefore an investigation conducted into those expenses had recommended that some of them be written off from the books.
The SJB MP questioned why two helicopters had been placed at the disposal of the President.
He said that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had promised during the Presidential election to curtail the use of state properties, and questioned if the President had made any such changes during his tenure thus far.
MP Withanage inquired if this practice would continue in the future, at the expense of the SLAF.
Minister Chamal Rajapaksa said the President had been provided with two helicopters for security reasons. “The President has actually pruned down many expenses. He lives in his own home and used only three vehicles in his escort, the Minister said.
Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena then called on MP Vithanage to wear his face mask when addressing Parliament.
SJB MP Manusha Nanayakara, raising a point of order, thereafter called out the Speaker for acting in a partial manner.
He said the speaker allowed MP Chamal Rajapaksa to respond to questions without a mask and had at the same time instructed the Opposition MP to wear a mask.
MP Nanayakkara said it was the responsibility of the Speaker to remain impartial during Parliament sessions.
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
