News
LG polls controversy: State Minister responds to rebel SLPP criticism, urges reappraisal of strategy
By Shamindra Ferdinando
State Finance Minister Shehan Semasinghe said yesterday that the national economy was in such a parlous state that an election was the last thing the public needed.
The Anuradhapura District lawmaker said so in response to him being criticised by rebel SLPP leader, Prof. G.L. Peiris, at their regular weekly briefing ,at Nawala, over the possible postponement of Local Government polls, scheduled for early next year. As constitutionally stipulated, newly elected 340 Local Government authorities have to be formed by, or before, March 20, 2023.
Semasinghe said that had he been in the Opposition, he, too, would have certainly adopted that stance. “Therefore, I don’t find fault with Prof. Peiris for taking essentially a political stand that may not be realistic in view of the developing crisis. We are not out of the woods yet,” State Minister Semasinghe said, urging the Opposition to be mindful of the daunting challenges ahead.
The lastast LG polls were held in Feb. 2018, during the Yahapalana administration.
Responding to The Island queries, MP Semasinghe said that the entire parliamentary group, and members of the Cabinet, chaired by the executive, should accept responsibility for the current crisis.
The State Minister said that he couldn’t absolve himself of the responsibility, though he never represented the Cabinet at the time. Those who quit, or dropped, from the Cabinet, since the eruption of the controversy over the Yugadanavi power plant, in Sept. 2021, and those remained therein, were collectively responsible. “Let there be a thorough reappraisal of the decisions taken during Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s presidency,” the State Minister said.
MP Semasinghe strongly denied accusations that he was opposed to Local Government elections. The SLPP had the wherewithal to meet electoral challenge at any level, the lawmaker declared, underscoring the need to address the issues at hand before attention could be diverted.
The Minister said that priority should be given to, what he called, economic re-building measures. The MP asked whether those who had been demanding LG polls considered them urgent remedy for the crisis. According to the State Minister, some Opposition elements felt an electoral contest, early next year, would be advantageous to them, regardless of the consequences. “They do not realise that an election campaign will definitely discourage political parties from reaching the much required consensus on an economic recovery plan. Consequences will be devastating,” the State Minister said, warning the Opposition not to take advantage of the situation.
Whatever the criticism of the budget proposals, presented by President Ranil Wickremesinghe, in his capacity as the Finance Minister, received the approval of Parliament, lawmaker Semasinghe said. Therefore, the Opposition should now throw its weight behind the ongoing government efforts to rebuild the economy, the State Minister added. Unfortunately, there were interested parties who felt further delay in the finalization of the agreement with Washington-based International Monetary Fund (IMF), in respect of the USD 2.9 bn loan, would be politically advantageous to them.
State Minister Semasinghe said that those who exploited the current crisis could be compared with the political setup which took advantage of the war at a time the LTTE seemed invincible.
Responding to another query, the State Minister said that the USD 2.9 bn could be finalized once all creditors approved the overall resuscitation plan. MP Semasinghe said that he didn’t want to go into details as negotiations were continuing.
The State Minister also acknowledged that the recovery of unpaid taxes, amounting to billions of Rupees ,as well as remittance of funds ‘parked’ overseas, remained contentious issues which needed serious attention.
Recently, the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) revealed that unpaid taxes, accruing interest et al amounted to a staggering Rs 763 bn whereas Justice Minister Dr. Wjeyadasa Rajapaksa, PC declared, both in and out of Parliament, that exporters continued to hold export proceeds amounting to billions of USD in offshore accounts, despite being publicly exposed.
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
