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Kiriella pleads with govt. Impose travel restrictions to prevent Delta entering hill country
Chief Opposition Whip and Kandy District MP Lakshman Kiriella yesterday requested the government to impose travel restrictions to prevent Delta variant of coronavirus entering the upcountry areas.
MP Kiriella said that the Delta variant was not found the upcountry areas. “The Kandy district and upcountry areas could be saved from this virus variant if the government imposes travel restrictions without further delay,” he said.
The Chief Opposition Whip said: “We, as the opposition, wish that the government’s vaccination drive would be successful. We look beyond party interests and ideological differences because the virus does not discriminate. Therefore, we are willing to support the government’s efforts but its attitude is deplorable.
Kiriella said that in 2020, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa had spoken about coronavirus and warned of a possible pandemic. However, the government had no interest in listening to the Opposition and take action, he said.
“Some of the government MPs ridiculed him. Thereafter he warned of this again on 05 February 2020 and pleaded with the government to take precautions. He said that the virus originated in Wuhan was spreading fast and the countries in our region too were under threat. We are ready to support the national vaccination drive, but the government should change its attitude,” he said.
The MP said that he had received telephone calls from specialist doctors, who said the Delta variant was not found in the upcountry. They believe that if travel restrictions were imposed, those areas could be saved from the highly transmissible variant.
“The government did not close the airports in a timely manner. It kept the airports open while other countries took precautionary measures. Check the statistics and you will find the first 100 cases reported from here were from those who had returned home from abroad. Opposition Leader Premadasa asked for the closure of airports on both 24 January and 05 February 2020, but the airports were kept open till March 17. The government did not heed our warnings, and instead it promoted syrups and other concoctions. They even drank some syrup in this Parliament. They thought the syrup was a miracle cure.”
The Chief Opposition Whip said that the government should appoint a parliamentary committee, consisting of MPs belonging to both the government and the Opposition, and the Disaster Management Act had provision for such action.
“The government is asking for our support but how do you expect us to help if it is not ready to listen to us?
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
