News
JVP calls for govt. with a mandate
By Sirimantha Rathnasekera
The first step towards overcoming the current crisis was to appoint a government with a mandate from the people, JVP and NPP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayaka says.
“There are many signs of the economic crisis. One is the rise in double digit inflation and the other is our inability to service the debt. The rapid loss of jobs, as businesses collapse, is another sign of a deep economic malaise. Because of this, the government does not have rupees to spend and the country does not have dollars to import,” he said in Colombo yesterday.
“In 2023, the country will have to repay Rs 4.2 trillion rupees worth of debt, but the total revenue of the government in 2022 was only two trillion rupees. The massive revenue shortfall has led to economic and social shocks. Sri Lanka has also borrowed heavily and failed to invest the loans productively
“Our tax policy is wrong. Our import policies are wrong, and proper plans were never implemented. A lot of people think this is an economic crisis. However, this is a political crisis. Our political culture is holding the country down. Look at how we implement projects, how we change our tax policies, how we borrow and how we conduct our foreign relations. Our rotten political culture has ensured that all these are conducted to benefit a few people and not the country. We assure you that we will change this rotten political culture,” he said.
Dissanayaka went on to say the production of goods and services in Sri Lanka has to increase and that more workers should be involved in productive sectors. Western Province contributes to 36 percent of the country’s economy while the North Western Province contributes five percent.
“When people are involved in productive sectors, we can expand the economy and ensure more people are better paid. If not, we will just have to expand our welfare. Samurdhi has been operational for almost 30 years and what has been the benefit? The rural poor are not involved in productive sectors and thus remain poor. We need to expand our production and we need to ensure that the benefit of the economy is divided fairly. 10 percent of the top income earners own 38 percent of the country’s wealth. If we look at the top one percent, I am sure they own most of this wealth. The lowest own 1.1% of the wealth. This is not a fair system and this is an inherently unstable system,” he said.
The JVP leader said all human beings deserve adequate money to lead a fulfilling life. There will not be stability if there are large income disparities in a country, he said. A large amount of violence, crime and drug abuse are caused by inequality, he added.
“The economy needs to be equitable. We also need to create a large safety net, not only for the poor but for businesses that get into trouble because of unfavourable external circumstances,” he said.
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
