News
In spite of surge in commuters, Railway losses mounting – GMR
‘Rs 40 mn daily diesel bill unbearable’
By Shamindra Ferdinando
General Manager, Railways, Dhammika Jayasuriya says revision of railway fares shouldn’t be delayed any further. Jayasuriya asserts that the national economy is in such a precarious state, continuing losses suffered by Railways, primarily due to steep increase in diesel price this year, cannot be sustained.
Speaking to The Island after having attended a meeting chaired by President Gotabaya Rajapaka at the President’s House on June 09 to discuss public transport issues, Jayasuriya said that their daily fuel bill amounted to Rs 40 mn while daily revenue stood at Rs 15 mn.
Jayasuriya said that a sharp increase of bus fares recently resulted in a significant surge in railway commuters. However, an increase in daily revenue wouldn’t be sufficient at all to cover mounting losses, caused by rising cost of diesel and other inputs, Jayasuriya said, underscoring the responsibility on the part of the government to decide on this matter soon. The outspoken official said that season ticket holders paid just a fraction of the real value. When compared with bus fares, railway season tickets cost just seven percent of the bus fares, Jayasuriya said, drawing the government’s attention to their dilemma.
Responding to another query, Jayasuriya said that a third class ticket should be about 50-60 percent of bus fares. According to him, the third class ticket was very much less than the bus fare and in the case of those buying return tickets even cheaper.
Referring to a recent statement attributed by Transport, Highways and Mass Media Minister Bandula Gunawardane as regards the need for an increase in the fare structure, GMR said that the dependence on the Treasury for handouts should be reduced.
Jayasuriya admitted that they would never be able to revise train fares to such an extent, where losses could be eradicated. And a significant increase was required to cut down on daily losses to sustain the loss making venture, he said, declaring that the current operation was a very heavy burden on the bankrupt national economy.
The crisis couldn’t be addressed by printing money, Jayasuriya said, urging decision-makers to take tangible measures to streamline public transport.
The meeting chaired by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, and also attended by Minister Gunawardena, the government has discussed ways and means of ensuring an uninterrupted fuel supply to maintain train and bus services. A statement issued by the Presidential Media Division (PMD) stated that arrangements would be made to provide diesel to private buses from service stations, operated by the SLTB.
Jayasuriya said that short, medium and long term plans were required to take the Railways to the next level. Asked to explain, GMR said that they would have to significantly increase charges for fuel transportation to cut down on losses. Jayasuriya pointed out that there was a huge difference in payments made to fuel bowsers and the CGR and in spite of discussions at various levels the issues at hand remained unsolved. When pressed for their response to the developing crisis, Jayasuriya said that they had made representations to relevant authorities. “We have also drafted a Cabinet paper in this regard. We are confident the government will address this issue soon.”
According to Jayasuriya, the second class ticket is priced double the third class ticket. Railway operated a profitable special train service, Jayasuriya said, underscoring the urgent need for thorough review of the entire service to meet any eventuality.
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
