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JVP says today health workers have to fight on two fronts
NPP Kalutara district candidate Dr Nalinda Jayatissa addressing a health workers’ conference at Hotel Nippon in Colombo.
by Saman Indrajith
Health workers while fighting against the COVID-19 pandemic are compelled to fight another battle simultaneously against the government to secure their due allowances, the JVP says.
Addressing a health workers’ conference at the Hotel Nippon in Colombo on Saturday, NPP Kalutara District candidate Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said that that one of the main promises of the NPP was to strengthen the public health service.
“The need for a strong public health service is felt more than evern before. It was the health workers who took the lead with the security forces in the fight against coronavirus pandemic. Many other countries that have private health services failed to prevent the spread of the virus. Now the people can understand of the meaning of why we took to the streets for the sake of free healthcare. Sri Lanka irrespective of whatever shortcomings, made a special contribution to the public healthcare since the time of the British rulers till 1977 and thanks to those efforts our public healthcare system has spread all over the country covering all villages. However since 1977, like many other sectors healthcare system was pushed towards privatisation. We stood with people against privatisation and thanks to those agitations the system could not be fully sold off to companies,” Dr. Jayatissa said.
Dr. Jayatissa said that the government invented a title by the name Suva Viruvo for the health workers but there were no tangible means of appreciating their dedicated service. “Today health workers have to fight in two fronts. In one front they fight against the COVID-19 to keep the pandemic at bay and on another front they fight against the government to secure their due allowances. Public Health Inspectors are on strike because this government did not listen to their grievances. This government will dish out praises and accolades, but nothing else. The moment you stand for your rights, you’ll see the real picture of this government. Take the case of war heroes for example. They were called Rana Viruvo. Their food ration has been cut off so each of them now getting less than Rs 19,000. The promises given to the disabled soldiers are not implemented yet. If this is their way before the election, one can imagine their conduct after the election if they come to power,” Dr. Jayatissa said.
Prof. Krishantha Abeysinghe said that the MPs of main parties used their posts for business purposes and not as a means of rendering public service. It had to be changed. That could be done only by electing more NPP members to Parliament.
Dr Nimal Edirisinghe also addressed the conference.
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
