News
Kiriella warns govt. of time bomb in Kandy City
By Saman indRajith
The government has placed the Kandy City and lives of its people in danger by keeping inmates afflicted with COVID-19 in the Bogambara prison, says Chief Opposition Whip and Kandy District MP Lakshman Kiriella.
Addressing the media at the Opposition Leader’s Office in Colombo, yesterday, MP Kiriella said that the quarantine centre at former Bogambara prison in the middle of the Kandy City posed health risks and urged the government to shift the infected inmates.
“During Yahapalana government we decided to shut down the Bogambara prison and converted it into a cultural park. We shifted prisoners to other places such as Pallekele and started to develop the premises that had been a prison since colonial times. Now, the incumbent government put the project on hold and brought infected inmates from all prisons to the Bogambara facility. First about 100 inmates were brought, but now as per the latest reports there are over 800 persons in the Bogambara prison quarantine centre. This place is in the middle of the city.”
Kiriella said that the prison premises were to be converted into a tourist attraction with an open-air theatre to promote upcountry handicraft industry and create employment opportunities for about 5,000 people. “Now, all that is over. The place has been turned into a quarantine centre and is like a primed time bomb.”
Kiriella accused the government of having mishandled the COVID-19 pandemic and let it develop into a national health crisis. “During the recent months, the government was preoccupied with winning the general election and having the 20th Amendment ratified by Parliament. Controlling COVID-19 pandemic was third on its list of priorities. The government should have thought of people’s lives rather than consolidating its power. Look at Taiwan, an island nation like ours with a population number closer to ours located very close to China. Since January there have been only 602 infected cases and only seven deaths. There had been no reports of new cases for the past 200 days. The main reason for that was the decision by Taiwan to shut down its airports. We too told the government on or around Jan 22 to close down the airport. They did not listen to us. They acted arbitrarily then and now blame the people for the spread of the virus. It is so sad to notice that there is not a single world leader blaming his country’s people for the spread of the virus but we have one. When the first wave of the pandemic was controlled to some extent, the government got the credit for it, but after the failure to control the second wave the blame was shifted on to the people.”
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
