News
Last year, CEB recorded staggering increase of Rs 590 mn in additional payments
Trade union wants to appear before COPE
By Shamindra Ferdinando
United Trade Union Alliance Convener Ranjan Jayalal yesterday (23) said that the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) should give a fair hearing to issues relating to waste, corruption, irregularities as well as mismanagement in the power sector.
Unfortunately, the watchdog committee only sought the views of the top management of loss making CEB, trade unionist Jayalal said.
The activist said so when The Island asked for his response to the disclosure made at the COPE recently that in addition to monthly salaries about Rs 1,544.4 mn and Rs 2,134.9 mn had been paid to workers in 2020 and 2021, respectively in violation of a Cabinet decision taken on 14 Nov. 2008 and the Management Services Circular of No 39 of 26 May 2009.
When The Island pointed out that there had been a staggering Rs 590 mn increase in various additional payments made to workers last year, Jayalal stressed that the COPE should ask for a breakdown. The top management included the engineers, who should accept responsibility for the current crisis, Jayalal said, the primary issues at hand were created and caused by the top management and their political masters.
The new controversy erupted in the wake of CEB Chairman M.M.C. Ferdinando after his declaration that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa intervened on behalf of India’s Adani Group.
Jayalal said that Prof. Charitha Herath MP, who headed COPE, shouldn’t forget that the ruling party he represented had ruined the CEB. Successive governments had accommodated their supporters in the CEB, he said, adding that political appointees in turn simply exploited the state enterprise for their benefit, and the CEB had ended up in a dire financial situation.
A senior CEB official declined to comment on the disclosures made by the COPE. Speaking on condition of anonymity, he said the Board of Management would respond, in writing, to the issues raised by the COPE. The media would have to obtain the CEB’s response from the parliamentary body, the official said. He declined to comment on assertions made by the COPE on the CEB.
Jayalal said that as several ministers appointed by the SLFP-led PA, UPFA and SLPP had been at the helm of the Ministry of Power, they should accept responsibility for excess executive staff and workers in the CEB.
Responding to another query, he said the CEB management always cooperated with those in power. They quite conveniently bent laws and regulations to appease the power minister whoever held that portfolio, Jayalal said, urging parliamentary watchdog committees to seek explanation from the past and present ministers.
Jayalal said that the President appointed both the ministers and Secretaries to the Ministries as well. Therefore, COPE and two other watchdogs, Committee on Public Finance (COPF) and Committee on Public Accounts (COPA), too, should be mindful of ground realities as corruption here was now endemic.
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
