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Johnston: Opposition’s plan to get people to boo govt. politicians failed
The Opposition plan to get people to hoot at government politicians in their electorates had failed, Chief Government Whip and Highways Minister Johnston Fernando said yesterday.
“Their plan was to organise people to boo ministers and MPs when we visit our electorates and villages. That did not work because they have no strength or organisational power to work out a campaign of such level. Today their plan went awry and was proven to be another flop. We have come to the village and provinces, but there is none to enact the Opposition’s plan,” Minister Fernando said at Chenkalady, on Tuesday, after commissioning the newly restored 86.7 km Bibile-Chenkalady road.
The Minister said that Opposition members’ wishful thinking that the electorate would reject government political leaders was shattered because they were not capable of engineering such a plot successfully. “It is so weak and that was why people did not vote for them. They think that just because they promote such ideas on social media people would listen to them. Their conduct is so pathetic that they cannot even utter a lie convincingly. On the other hand, people are more intelligent than the Opposition members’ assessment of them. They know we are for real and we will develop this country. We have ensured security in all parts and provinces of this country and brought about a situation where Sinhala, Tamil, Muslim, Malay and Burgher communities live as a single nation. They know that we could transform the next three years to be the most successful period in our country’s history.
“We have been working to develop and upgrade the country’s road network system into a modernised network of connectivity as we have promised in the Vistas of Prosperity and Splendour programme of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. We have started developing around 800 roads in the Eastern Province alone. The Opposition had once tried to create an opinion that we do not have funds because Islamic countries refuse to help us. Today that too has failed. This road has been modernised with the funds from Saudi Fund for Development. The Fund has allocated more funds for the development of roads. In addition, the World Bank gave us 500 million dollars to develop roads in rural areas.
“There is no disharmony among communities. There is no such problem for the Sinhala, Tamil, Muslim, Malay and Burgher communities. It is the Opposition’s plots to create rifts among those communities thinking of taking political advantage of such clashes and disharmony.
Our relationships with Islamic countries are intact and thriving. It was Mahinda Rajapaksa who started those diplomatic relations by supporting the cause of Palestine.
People would not fall for the cheap politics of the Sajith Premadasa gang and the Anura Kuamra Dissanayake clique because they know that it was during the times of governments under Mahinda Rajapaksa and Gotabaya Rajapaksa these provinces recorded the highest development. People know that during the yahapalana time these provinces had nothing but misery and stagnation,” the Minister said.
Upgrading the 86.7 km road from Bibile to Chenkalady cost Rs 7,200 million. The Saudi Fund for Development assisted the Lankan government in covering the cost. The project is considered a major booster to the economy as it provides people easy access to markets and social infrastructure such as schools and hospitals and reduces the travel time due to the reduction of traffic congestion and ultimately reducing the travel cost benefiting passengers and industries.
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
