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JVP accuses govt. of letting profiteers fleece public
By Saman Indrajith
The government has let profiteers fleece the pandemic-hit people, says JVP women’s wing, ‘Women for Rights’.
Addressing the media at the JVP headquarters, Secretary of the WfR, Samanmalee Gunasinghe said: “Now the country is literally run by businessmen. It is not the government that decides the prices of essential commodities such as rice, sugar, milk powder, cement and gas. The government no longer wields power against large scale businessmen and importers, who dictate terms. People are questioning what the use of a government is if the country is run by businessmen, importers and black marketeers.
The government comprises politicians who line their pockets with the support of big time businessmen. For the commissions they receive from the businessmen the ministers have allowed them to exploit people. All our economic problems are due to corruption and theft of public funds. There was one exposure by Pandora Papers of a sum of Rs 35 billion unexplained assets. This is only a faction of what they have taken from people of this country. People are in debt, the country is in debt while mothers lament that they cannot find milk for their children but the rulers are getting richer and richer.”
Gunasinghe said that the majority of housewives used gas for cooking. “We cannot go back to firewood because there isn’t sufficient firewood as the country has been taken to the age of concrete after clearing jungles. Now, the price of gas cylinders has been increased by 84 percent. There is a new queue of women to purchase kerosene cookers. The price of a kerosene cooker was at Rs 500 yesterday morning. By evening the traders jacked up the price to Rs 950 seeing the demand. The kerosene cooker that was at Rs 1,500 has been increased to Rs 4,500”, she said. President of the WfR, Sarojini Savithri Paulraj said that the Trade Ministry and the Consumer Affairs Authority should be disbanded as
the economy was controlled by the rice millers and import companies. All recent governments ruling this country had deals with the rice millers.
Bread and other flour-based products are the staple food for many families in the plantation sector. Now a loaf of bread has gone up to Rs 65, a bun to Rs 50 and a cup of tea Rs 30. When people spend that much of their earnings on food, how can they spend on the education and other needs of their children? Are we supposed to stop children being sent to school because we have to spend everything we earn on food?
WFR Executive committee member Prabhashini Wickramasinghe also addressed the press.
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
