News
Housing and population survey of 15th national census to be completed next month
By Rathindra Kuruwita
The Department of Census and Statistics plans to complete the listing phase of the 15th housing and population census by December 2023, Director of the Department Dr. Chandani Wijebandara said.
She said that a census was conducted in four stages. The first stage is the census mapping which subdivides the country into small Standard Enumeration Areas.
“Then comes the listing of the buildings at the Census block level based on the maps. Third is the enumeration stage. This consists of two rounds. First round is the data collection stage and the second round the revision of data collected during the first round taking into account any births, deaths or changes of residence between the first round and the census day. Fourth stage is the publication of the findings,” she said.
Dr. Wijebandara said that they now need to train enumerators and that phase can start in the second quarter of 2024. In the third quarter they will announce the ‘census moment’. “All information gathered during the census refers to the situation at that particular point in time,” she said.
Dr. Wijebandara said they assure the anonymity of all personal data. These data can’t be used for police investigations or inquiries, she said. “We are bound by law to protect the data we collect. People also are bound by law to give accurate data for enumerators,” she said.
If everyone in the household is at work during the data collection period, steps have been taken to leave a letter with the phone number of the enumerator, she said. “Please call that number and inform him or her about the time you are at home. We have also introduced a hotline 1901, so you can call and get further information,” she said.
Meanwhile, Additional Director General of the Department Anoja Seneviratne said this time officials will collect data using tablet computers. In previous census data was collected using printed paper. “There were many issues with that, therefore we shifted to tablet computers,” she said.
Director General of the Department of Census and Statistics, P.M.P. Anura Kumara said that it takes about four years to complete a population census and using pen and paper to collect data is a colossal expense.
“We also spend a lot of time on entering data into computers and cleaning data. However, since we are using tablet computers this time, a lot of time and money can be saved,” he said.
Kumara said that there are about 1,500 people working in his department. Out of which 750are technical officials. However, 22,500 people are needed for a population census.
“We get the rest from other government agencies, mainly for enumeration. These officials receive training from us and United Nations Population Fund and Food and Agriculture Organization’s Sri Lanka office helps us a lot. A number of other government institutions also support us because the data we collect are important for all,” 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
