News
Lankans in Frankfurt happy about consulate closure
by Harischandra Gunaratna
Lankan expatriates in Frankfurt heave a sigh of relief following government’s closure of Sri Lankan consulate there alleging that it had been a den of all vices.
“The consulate was known among Lankans as a den of vices. It was a known fact that consulate officials extorted money from Lankans who visited the consulate for various needs such as renewing the passports and to obtain documents,” a Frankfurt-based Lankan said.
“They used their official powers either to delay applications by Lankans for various services till they received their bribes,” he said.
Many employees of the now defunct Lankan consulate had been demanding money from them to perform their legitimate duties.
Businessman and long time resident Azad Shauketally said one common racket was when they had to get their passports renewed or required to obtain a new passport, which had to be done through the consulate, they were forced to bribe certain consulate staff with amounts ranging from 4,000 euros to 5,000 euros minimum.
Shauketally said, if the money was not paid to them, they would ensure their passports would not be renewed or a new one would not issued in Colombo.
He alleged that the racket took place in connivance with some Foreign Ministry officials in Colombo.
Another Lankan businessman in Frankfurt, Ravi Navaratnam said that Lankans living there had been forced to give bribes to consulate officials. “They would not process any application without taking the demanded bribes. Resisting would mean negative results,” Navaratnam said.
Another Tamil expatriate in Frankfurt said that some Tamil officials worked there used to collect money for various Tamil diaspora outfits. “We were happy to see the end of the LTTE since we thought that it would be the end of parting with our hard-earned money. Yet the practice of collecting money from Tamils still continues,” he alleged.
In 2018, the services of a consulate employee who had been taking money from the Lankan expatriates in Frankfurt was terminated and an inquiry was held by the External Affairs Ministry in Colombo.
The Lankans living there also allege that they have to pay extortion money to the Tamil diaspora though the LTTE was dliquidated in 2009 May, some employees of the consulate were hand in glove with this extortion ring.
Shasuketally alleged that all the information about the Lankan expats, specially Tamils were furnished to the extortion ring by some consulate employees.
On a decision taken by the Foreign Ministry, Lankan consulate in Frankfurt was shut down on Dec 31,2021 and services of all employees were terminated except for two female officers who would be posted to Toronto.
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
