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Johnston: Not a single tree felled for renovating Sinharaja road
By Saman Indrajith
Not a single tree had been cut down when a dilapidated road leading Lankagama through a section of the Sinharaja Forest was renovated, Chief Government Whip Highways Minister Johnston Fernando told Parliament on Wednesday (25).
“We only renovated a road which was already there. The Opposition and many others accused us of constructing a new road. It is not true. People in Lankagama have been requesting the renovation of that road. No new road was constructed, not a single tree has been cut down . There was no harm done to the environment,” the Minister said.
Fernando made this statement after the Minister of Environment Mahinda Amaraweera asked for time to answer a question on the road through sections of the Sinharaja posed by Colombo District SJB MP Dr Harsha de Silva. Pointing out that his question to the Minister of Environment was listed in the Order Paper, Silva demanded an answer. The SJB MP queried whether Amaraeweera admitted that an environment impact assessment should be conducted when a road was constructed across a sensitive ecosystem.
MP Dr de Silva:
“Why isn’t the government giving an answer? It is said that the road could be constructed within 90 days, then why does the government take more than 90 days to answer the question? Why are you evading this issue?”
Minister Amaraweera:
“We are not evading or running away. I asked for time to give you a comprehensive answer.”
MP Dr de Silva:
“Now a gazette expanding the area of Sinharaja, signed by former President Maithripala Sirisena, has been issued. It is backdated to November last year. As per the gazette what you have done is wrong. You should have conducted a study before commencing the work on the road. Now, you are taking time to give an answer after completing the construction.”
Chief Government Whip Highways Minister Fernando
: “The question was about an environment issue, and the relevant Minister will answer it. But since the road being constructed under the purview of my ministry, stress that no new road has been constructed. If you are constructing a new road then you need to conduct a study. Here the procedure is different because we are renovating a road that has already been there. You have been fooled by Facebook posts. I invited you to visit the area with me. You did not come. Has Dr de Silva ever been to Lankagama? You are from the Colombo District.
MP Dr de Silva:
“I will come with you to visit Lankagama and inspect the road when you go there next time. I am an MP for the Colombo District. I was elected with 83,000 votes, and as I represent the Opposition, I am entitled to ask questions about anything in between Kankesanthurai and Matara. That is my right.”
Badulla District MP Chaminda Wijesiri:
“We thank you for the invitation. We could not come with you to visit the area because we were busy with the budget debate. We will visit the area later. Our question is about the destruction wreaked the environment. That damage is not repairable just because you win arguments here in parliament.”
Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena:
“There is no point in you fighting over this issue. It is an old road. It was constructed while I was the Chief Minister of the Southern Province. I still remember the Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman who constructed the road had to serve a jail term. There is no point in having further arguments on the issue.
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
