News
JVP inspires calls for protests against rising cost of living
By Saman Indrajith
The JVP yesterday called on people to take to the streets against the government that cannot control market prices of essential items.
Addressing a press conference held at the party headquarters in Pelawatte, the party’s national organiser and former MP Bimal Ratnayake said that yesterday’s fuel price hike was unjust and it would result in further increases in prices of all goods and services in the coming days, sending the pandemic-hit economy from the frying pan into the fire.
“This is the highest ever price hike in fuel in the country’s history. As per an announcement by the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation Octane 92 petrol price has been increased by Rs 20, Octane 95 by Rs 23, diesel by Rs 10, Super diesel by Rs15 and kerosene by Rs 10. The reason for the price revision has been attributed to the world market price change of fuel. It cannot be accepted. There had been many previous occasions when the world market price of fuel increased more than this. In 2013 the price of a barrel of oil was at USD 97. For years the price was at USD 100 a barrel. There had been some increase in price in the world market but following the spread of the Omicron variant there were travel limitations in Europe and price of fuel decreased. There is a presumption that the price of an oil barrel would be around USD 60 owing to the Omicron effect. Then the truth is that the government jacked up fuel prices at a time when the world market prices are going down.
“The CPC and Petroleum minister have become puppets of the ruling cabal. Discussion for fuel price increase started by the government on Dec 13 soon after the budget. Yet Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa did not allow the prices to increase while he was still in the country. He wanted to show that the price increases took place in his absence. His intention was to apportion the blame on the petroleum minister and the acting finance minister. Yet the truth has come out and now it is a known fact that the CPC increased the prices last night on a directive from the Finance Ministry. It is clear that the finance minister plotted to place the blame on others. This is a well-known tactic of Rajapaksa family. The rest of the ministers are used by them as puppets.
“Government spokesman Minister Dullas Alahapperuma says that the fuel prices were increased to save the foreign exchange reserves. We cannot understand how the government could save dollars by increasing the fuel prices in the local market. The government could have instead asked people to stay at home to save fuel.
“Bakery owners are planning to increase the prices of their products. Three wheel operators say that they would increase their starting price per km from Rs 30 to Rs 80. Bus owners demand to increase the minimum fee to Rs 25. Likewise, the prices of various services and goods would go up in the coming days. The government has lost control of prices and the market. There are shortages of various items. The standards of available consumables are questionable. Traders fleece consumers at will. While the government is fleecing people it has let several big-time companies fleece money from the people. People can identify those companies because it was they who recorded unprecedented profits in the third quarter of this year. Some banks recorded 312 percent profit in the said period. There are two main companies running supermarket chains. One says it received a Rs 3,500 million profit after tax and the other has raked in Rs 1,387 million profit in the third quarter. These profits came at a time when the economy was down. They have earned profits by increasing the prices at their will. Rice prices in the market are decided by the millers. The government has lost control of the prices in the market. We call on people to raise their voice and stand with us against this government”, Ratnayake 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
