News
Lankan Agriculture at crossroads?
By Lasitha Duminda
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa undoubtedly would leave a legacy behind three critical decisions he has made.
• Rapid Vaccination carried out and ongoing with one of the world’s best percentage of population covered (As of Oct 6, fully vaccinated is 54.6% and at least one dose is 66.7%) is one.
• Renewable energy drive currently underway to generate as much as 70% of the nation’s power requirement from renewable sources which is another revolution making Sri Lanka a catalyst towards a greener world and putting the name of our country on top of the list of most countries if not all.
• Carbonic agriculture is the third bold initiative taken amidst all odds gaining lot of global praise for the President and Sri Lanka.
There were lot of quarters who wanted to sabotage all above ground breaking initiatives spending lot of time and effort to discredit Gotabaya Rajapaksa regime. It is not a secret that the opposition is not coming simply from the opposition. Currently the one that is at the biggest risk is converting Sri Lanka to organic farming that would pave the way for a healthier nation void of lot of diseases such as chronic kidney complications and cancer.
The threat seems to be not coming only from the chemical fertilizer associated mafia so to say. The amount of negative publicity given in media and the amount of people involved in the sabotage mission clearly suggests that it has become more or less a geopolitical operation.
The Chinese samples are getting rejected leaving lot of gaps in the credibility aspect of such reports to a level the matter getting referred to even the criminal investigation department.
Surprisingly, these reports reach media even before they are ready. Ironically so many different labs both in Sri Lanka and overseas report contradictory results. Sri Lankan authorities that claim the presence of certain harmful bacteria, are not willing to get the legitimate samples attested by independent international laboratories.
Yet another interesting point is the absence of any kind of intervention by the Chinese Diplomatic mission in Sri Lanka letting the people to believe that it is the Chinese that are behind the contamination of fertilizer.
India on the other hand, emerged all of a sudden short circuiting the available procurement process and becoming the favorites of the agencies responsible for the application of organic fertilizer with no knowledge of the public as to how Indian companies entered the procurement process while the contract between the Chinese supplier and the government is still valid.
Public has the right to know as to who is playing what? Who wants to discredit the President and fail him? Is it only the people in the frontline or have they become a cat’s paw for someone else? If so, who is it actually behind this game changer?
If Chinese are innocent, why are they not coming forward to prove their innocence or is someone deliberately blocking that process?
Mr. President, this is worth of your immediate attention as it is the food security of Sri Lanka is at compromise otherwise with the ‘Maha’ season approaching within a matter of few weeks.
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
