News
Liquor licences for govt. cronies will deprive pregnant mothers, children of Thriposha
By Saman Indrajith
The Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) yesterday alleged that the government had issued four liquor manufacturing licences to its cronies who would further worsen the prevailing maize shortage by using those grains for the production of beer and spirit.
Addressing the media at the Opposition Leader’s office in Colombo, Kurunegala District SJB MP Thushara Indunil said that there was a shortage of maize in the country. “While there is a severe shortage of maize, the government has surreptitiously issued four licences – two for spirit production, two for beer production, to its crony businessmen. Those businessmen will use the remaining stocks of maize to produce beer and spirit and that will worsen the acute shortage of maize in the country.”
The SJB MP said there was a shortfall in the locally produced maize supply. A portion of the production is used to manufacture nutritional supplements such as Thriposha, a blended and nutrient-rich supplementary food provided to infants and expectant mothers. “Some of the produce is sent to market for people to buy while a portion of the produce is also used for animal food production. The government stopped importing maize without taking action to promote production of the grain in the country. They allowed their crony businessmen to import wheat. Following the suspension of imports, the animal food industry is now in a quandary. In addition, the suspension of importing affected negatively on the poultry industry too because maize is a key ingredient in making poultry feed.”
The Thriposha factory in Ja-Ela had been shut down citing the reason of inability to obtain maize, MP Induni said.
“Now the Thriposha given to low income pregnant women and infants is not available as it is no longer produced. In the coming days the poultry industry too is going to face a crisis. The situation has been aggravated further by the Sena caterpillar destroying much of the maize cultivation during the recent past. While the country is suffering from maize shortage the government has issued beer and spirit manufacturing licences. Those businessmen will buy the remaining maize stocks to produce beer and spirit. Production of spirit and beer requires grains they have to use either rice or maize. Now, the infant children and pregnant women are starving but the government promotes beer and spirit production. This is how the so-called Sinhala Buddhist government behaves.”
“We have information that a spirit production factory is being set up in Passekudah. That factory belongs to one of the leading businessmen that supported this government. We condemn this and demand that the government revoke the licences at least for the sake of saving maize for the production of Thriposha for the low income earning families. We have no problem with the government looking after its friends, but that cannot be permitted at the cost of innocent pregnant women and infants. We are planning to campaign against the issuance of liquor manufacturing licences and hope that the people will stand up with us.”
Badulla District SJB MP Vadivel Suresh also addressed the press.
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
