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High prices and poor marketing of Ceylon Tea drove Pakistan to Kenyan imports – High Commissioner
By Steve A. Morrell
Pakistan had to turn to Kenya for its tea imports because Ceylon Tea was too highly priced and marketing was poor, High Commissioner Maj. Gen. (Retd) Muhammad Saad Khattak said.
“You have to blame your marketing people for the poor show”, the envoy said in reply to a question from a journalist at last week’s news conference at the Pakistan High Commission in Colombo.
He said that Pakistan imported 10,000 metric tons tea annually and Ceylon Tea comprised a negligible 1.6 percent of total imports.
“We now depend more on Kenyan tea as the Pakistani people were literally weaned away from Ceylon Tea due to exorbitant pricing coupled with a poor marketing strategy”.
The High Commissioner said that marketing Ceylon Tea to Pakistan’s retail trade took a back seat and the end result was that Kenya made headway to capture the market with fair pricing and vigorous marketing.
“Since my young days, most people in Pakistan knew only of Ceylon Tea, which was the preferred beverage. The alternative still could be Ceylon Tea if the beverage can regain its prestige through vibrant marketing”, the High Commissioner stressed.
Elaborating on the friendly relations that exist between Sri Lanka and Pakistan, he said the close ties were further cemented by the recent visit of Prime Minister Imran Khan to Sri Lanka.
Referring to the visit of a delegation of Buddhist monks to Pakistan, Khattak said it was a clear indication that his country reached out to all segments in Sri Lanka to develop mutual interests.
The envoy announced that a business delegation from Pakistan is scheduled to visit Sri Lanka shortly for an in-depth discussion on mutual areas of economic collaboration for cooperation between both countries for trade.
On tourism, he said Pakistan had diverse attractions to offer visitors, including snow-capped mountains, mind boggling topography, geographical land variety and an extensive expanse of beaches.
He said Pakistan could offer a wide cross section of trade and visitor attractions exclusive to tourists.
In the field of medicine, he said Pakistan would award 1,000 scholarships to Sri Lankan students. Referring to Jammu and Kashmir, he said Pakistan adhered to the UN resolution as the basis for settlement.
He didn’t comment on a possible time frame to end the dispute.
“There’s nothing called a free lunch, but an agreement of mutual advantage was necessary to seek amicable realization for stabilization of the area in dispute”, the envoy pointed out.
He declined to comment on the aspect of Chinese influences that was raised by some journalists.
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
