News
Lak Sathosa garlic scam: CID ‘Murder Unit’ intervenes
Ex-CAA Director questions rationale in probe on Bandula complaint
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Former Executive Director of the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) Thushan Gunawardena says the Murder Investigation Unit of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) inquiring into his accusations regarding the massive garlic scam in the state-owned enterprise, Lak Sathosa, wanted to question him. Gunawardena told The Island that the Officer-in-Charge of that unit, Chief Inspector L.D.S.B. Jayasekera had asked him to report to the Murder Investigation Unit today (22) at 9.am.
Gunawardena said that he was quite surprised by the Murder Unit’s intervention at the behest of the IGP C.D. Wickremaratne following a complaint lodged by Trade Minister Bandula Gunawardena. Pointing out that the CID had informed him that he was being dealt with in terms of Code of Criminal Procedure Act (No 15 of 1979) Section 109 (6), Gunawardena said that the Trade Minister himself admitted in Parliament that there had been a garlic scam at Lak Sathosa.
Gunawardena said that the CID had recorded his statement on Oct. 8 in this regard. Responding to another query, Gunawardena pointed out that at the time the CID recorded his statement, over a dozen journalists, including several editors of national newspapers, had been asked to make statements.
Gunawardena reiterated that the top management of Sathosa had brazenly manipulated a Cabinet directive, meant to ensure the steady supply of food items to Sathosa outlets. The Trade Minister couldn’t claim he had not been aware of what was going on at an enterprise under his purview, Gunawardena charged. Several management level persons had been arrested along with outsiders involved in the scam, Gunawardena said, adding that the SLPP government should be ashamed of its pathetic failure to ensure essential items at reasonable prices.
Gunawardena said that 56,000 kilos of garlic, released by Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) to Sathosa, had been sold to a regular Lak Sathosa supplier at Rs 135 a kilo. The Sathosa management had planned to buy back the same consignment at Rs 445 a kilo and then make it available to consumers at about Rs 540 a kilo. The plan had gone awry due to an unexpected raid carried out by the then CAA, under his direction Gunawardena said, adding Sathosa had sold the stock at such a low price on the basis of poor quality in spite of Quality Assurance clearance.
Responding to The Island queries, Gunawardena emphasized that many food consignments had been rerouted the same way. He said that such a massive fraud couldn’t have been carried out without political backing. A container load of orid (undu) had been among the consignments sold the same way, he said, insisting that Sathosa, and a select group of suppliers had been involved in the particular racket. “Politicians cannot be unaware of what is going on.”
Gunawardena asked whether the CID had initiated an inquiry into the recent shocking revelations pertaining to corruption at the state owned Litro Gas. Pointing out that as in the case of Lak Sathosa, the corruption charges were made by a person within the organisation Chairman and CEO of Litro Gas and Litro Terminals Theshara Jayasinghe, Gunawardena said that Parliament should make an urgent intervention. “
Gunawardena also said that the CID had never inquired into his complaints regarding corruption at Lak Sathosa lodged well over a year back.
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
