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KOICA donates equipment to upgrade National Plant Quarantine Service Headquarters
KOICA (Korea International Cooperation Agency) handed over laboratory equipment to Minister of Agriculture Mahindananda Aluthgamage for the use at the National Plant Quarantine Service Headquarters at Katunayake.
The equipment was handed over to the Minister as a part of KOICA funded project Modernisation of National Plant Quarantine Service in Sri Lanka worth 6 Million USD with the objective of enhancing the export competitiveness of Lankan agricultural products by improving plant quarantine capacity, a press release issued by the KOICA said.
Santhush Woonjin Jeong Ambassador of the Republic of Korea said: Agriculture is a main sector for development cooperation between our two countries. The Korean government has assisted Sri Lanka by sharing knowledge, providing financial and technical support.” He added: “I hope that this Plant Quarantine Laboratory Equipment will be utilised to the maximum to increase agricultural exports, leading to the economic growth of Sri Lanka.”
Mahindananda Aluthgamage, Minister of Agriculture, highly appreciated the support of laboratory equipment by extending his sincere gratitude to KOICA Sri Lanka and the government of Korea for the continuous support.
In Sri Lanka, agricultural exports hold a significant portion of total exports and it is expected that agricultural exports will play an important role in economic development of Sri Lanka.
In order to expand exports of agricultural products, the plant quarantine system must comply with the importing countries’ quarantine conditions. Hence, it is necessary to establish an advanced plant quarantine system required by the export target country. As a step forward, KOICA has decided to join hands in strengthening and modernising the Plant Quarantine Service in Sri Lanka.
The main output of this project includes construction of Seaport Plant Quarantine Station, provision of latest laboratory and ICT equipment, capacity building of the agricultural sector, providing a latest Plant Quarantine Information Management System, and enhancing the Standard of Procedures and upgrading the Sri Lanka Good Agricultural Practice (SL-GAP).
Moreover, for the successful completion of this project, Ambassador Jeong encouraged the Sri Lankan Government to provide continuous dynamic support and cooperation to make this project a massive success.
Among those present were Kang Youn Hwa, Country Director of KOICA, Senior Professor Uditha K. Jayasinghe, Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, Dr. W.M.W. Weerakoon, Director General of the Department of Agriculture, and Dr. W.A.R.T. Wickramarachchi, Head of the NPQS.
KOICA contributes to the advancement of international cooperation through various projects that build friendly and collaborative relationships and mutual exchanges between Korea and developing countries and support the economic and social development in developing countries, under the mission of ‘Leave no one behind with People centered Peace and Prosperity.’
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
