News
Iranian Central Bank Governor takes up outstanding payments with Gammanpila
New Lankan Ambassador in Tehran
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Sri Lanka owes Iran USD 251 mn for crude oil purchased way back during Mahinda Rajapaksa’s presidency. In spite of talks between the two countries over the years, they haven’t been able to settle the issue over the outstanding debt.
Energy Minister Udaya Gammanpila confirmed outstanding payment when The Island raised the issue with him on his return from Iran following a four-day visit, commencing Sept. 24.
Asked whether Iran wants interest on the delayed payment, Minister Gammanpila said that was not so.
Minister Gammanpila led a delegation to Iran at the invitation of the Minister of Petroleum of Iran Dr. Javad Owji. The delegation held talks with Iranian officials, including the Governor of the Central Bank of Iran Dr. Akbar Komijani.
The Foreign Ministry said that Minister Gammanpila discussed modalities to establish a mechanism for the settlement of outstanding payments with Dr. Akbar Komijani. The Sri Lankan delegation also met Deputy Foreign Minister for Economic Diplomacy of Iran Mahdi Safari.
During the meeting, the two sides underscored the importance of convening the Joint Commission for Economic Cooperation (JCEC) between the two countries at a mutually convenient date.
Minister Gammanpila also discussed ways and means of boosting relations in the fields of trade, investment, energy and tourism between Sri Lanka and Turkmenistan with the latter’s Teheran-based Ambassador Gurbanov Ahmet Kakabayevich.
The Iranian Petroleum Ministry arranged site visits to the Tehran Oil Refinery and Gas Station Museum. The newly appointed Sri Lankan Ambassador in Teheran G.M.V. Wishwanath Aponsu joined the delegation in discussions with Iranian officials. The delegation included Energy Secretary K.D.R. Olga and Deputy General Manager of Ceylon Petroleum Corporation Mahendra Gurusinghe.
Wishwanath Aponsu presented the Letters of Credence to the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Ayatollah Sayyid Ebrahim Raisi at the Sadabad Complex, Office of the President, in Tehran on 26 September 2021 during Minister Gammanpila’s visit.
The Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry quoted the Iranian President as having appreciated the longstanding and historical ties with Sri Lanka and their readiness to activate all capacities for development of relations between the two countries. While appreciating a close cooperation and mutual support at multilateral fora, he underscored the importance of the JCEC between Sri Lanka and Iran for promoting bilateral relations.
Ambassador Aponsu has reiterated Sri Lanka’s commitment to strengthen existing bilateral engagement with Iran into a multifaceted and results-oriented partnership. He further placed particular emphasis on the trade in agriculture products, energy, culture and tourism, as areas that could be explored and enhanced for developing the level of bilateral relations.
The President also stated that there is potential for the development of trade relations and transfer of experience, especially in the technical and engineering fields between the two countries. In response, the Ambassador expressed that all proposals and outstanding matters could be discussed at the next JCEC meeting between the two countries.
Prior to the current assignment, Ambassador Wishwanath Aponsu served as first Director General of Overseas Sri Lankan Division and Director General of Consular Affairs at the Foreign Ministry in Colombo.
He is a career diplomat (Sri Lanka Foreign Service-Grade I) with 19 years of service, having served as High Commissioner (Actg.) at the Sri Lanka’s Mission in Singapore and held positions at the Missions in India, Saudi Arabia and Bangladesh.
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
