News
House erupts over Central Expressway corruption charges
Chief Government Whip Highways Minister Johnston Fernando yesterday told Parliament that the Opposition was bandying about figures as regards the third phase of the Central Expressway construction even through the tender process had not yet been concluded.
Responding to a question raised by Galle District SJB MP Gayantha Karunatilake, Minister Fernando said: “The Opposition members allege that there were frauds of such and such amounts in the third phase of the Central Expressway. Where did you get these figures? The bidding letters of the tender have not yet been opened and none knows the figures. You are talking of figures of tenders which have not yet been opened. You can challenge this tender once the tender board makes its decision. You can even go before courts or raise it here in this House. You all are raising wild allegations without basis. You raise these baseless allegations while standing for a company to which an additional sum of Rs 1,800 million had been paid under the yahapalana government to construct the expressway from Mirigama to Kadawatha. I am calling on you not to represent companies. You all are complicit in Treasury Bond scam which led to your dow fall. Now, in the Opposition you are fighting for the companies and this will further ruin you because you are representing a bunch of thieves.”
Chief Opposition Whip Kandy District MP Lakshman Kiriella: The agreement on the Kadawatha-Mirigama Section had been signed by Mahinda Rajapaksa, granting the contract to MCC Company by the time we took over the government in 2015. The local agents of the MCC are Prabhath Nanayakkara and Dilshan Wickremasinghe, who is a relation of Shiranthi Rajapaksa. When we came to power, the MCC came to us and showed the agreement and we had to continue the project. If there had been no such agreement, we would have given it to local contractors. They went after the Chinese. It was our government that gave a contract to local contractors first by giving them the section from Mirigama to Kurunegala. When we handed over the reins of government we had completed construction of 37 out of 41 km long road.
Chief Government Whip Minister Fernando: Former Minister Kiriella plays the role of an innocent baby. You gave the contract to a company belonging to your Cabinet colleague Daya Gamage. When giving contracts to build the outer circle expressway the contractors agreed to construct a six lane expressway for Rs 66 billion. Your government changed it into a four lane expressway for the same amount and gave it to this Chinese company. Now you are accusing us of going after the Chinese while standing up for the interests of a Chinese company.
Responding to a question by SJB Matale District MP Rohini Kumari Kaviratne, Minister Fernando said that valuation for the compensations for those who lose their lands because of new roads were done not by the Ministry of Highways but by the Valuation Department. “We can summon officials of the Valuation Department to Parliament and discuss this issue with them,” the Minister said. (SI)
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
