News
Lanka receives bomb disposal equipment through Chinese military grant
By Meera Sirinivasan
Sri Lanka has received a stock of bomb squad equipment through a grant from the Chinese military, the Sri Lankan army has said.
The Chinese Ambassador in Colombo Qi Zhenhong handed over the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) equipment to the Secretary to Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Defence General Kamal Gunaratne (Rtd) in a ceremony held on March 13, according to a media statement. The equipment will be used primarily for screening, bomb detection, and disposal, according to Army sources in Colombo. The statement did not mention the cost of the equipment.
The development came a day after the United States Department of Defence commenced a training programme for Sri Lanka’s Air Force for enhanced protection of the island’s maritime resources,to counter illicit trafficking and monitor its exclusive economic zone. It also coincided with the Chinese People Liberation Army’s recent engagement in the region, including in Sri Lanka.
On March 7, a senior Chinese military official was in Colombo for talks with the military establishment. Deputy Chief of the Office for International Military Cooperation (OMIC) of the Central Military Commission (CMC), China, Major General Zhang Baoqun met Gen. Gunaratne (Rtd) to “exchange perspectives on prevalent regional security challenges and explore avenues for joint initiatives on enhancing maritime security collaborations on mutual ground,” a press release from the Sri Lankan army said.
Beijing on Wednesday confirmed that a military delegation visited the Maldives, Sri Lanka, and Nepal from March 4 to 13 to discuss further defence cooperation. During the delegation’s visit to the Maldives, the island nation’s Minister of Defence signed a pact with Major General Zhang Baoqun for military assistance from — and stronger bilateral ties with — China.
Beijing’s enhanced military engagement in the region remains a cause for concern in New Delhi, even as India and Sri Lanka maintain long-standing defence ties, and currently have an annual defence dialogue at the level of Secretary to the Defence Ministry. The seventh round of the dialogue was held in New Delhi on February 23, 2023, where both sides agreed to “increase the complexity of bilateral exercises.” Sri Lanka has a Liaison Officer posted at the Indian Navy’s Information Fusion Centre for Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR) located in Gurugram.
Sri Lanka is also part of the Colombo Security Conclave (CSC), along with Mauritius and the Maldives, and Bangladesh and Seychelles, that are observer-states. However, the Maldives skipped the 6th NSA-level meeting of the CSC held in Mauritius in December, months after President Mohamed Muizzu was elected.
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
