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MEPA Launches Sayura Rakina Ralla
In order to protect Sri Lanka’s endangered water resources and environment, Sri Lanka’s Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) launched the ‘Sayura Rakina Ralla’ (Protect the Sea) community-led programme. Under this umbrella initiative the organisation also launched the ‘Sayura Rakina Ralla’ Facebook page and a theme song to engage and educate the public on proper waste disposal and minimizing the use of non-biodegradable waste, thereby encouraging them to take a proactive approach in restoring the coastlines of Sri Lanka to its former glory.
In order to shed light on the country’s lack of correct waste disposal whilst parallelly encouraging and educating Sri Lankans to ‘clean up their act’, MEPA, which is under the aegis of the State Ministry of Urban Development, Coast Conservation, Waste Disposal and Community Cleanliness, commenced the community-led Corporate Social Responsibility programme ‘Sayura Rakina Ralla’ which was inaugurated by Sri Lanka Rugby and Sri Lanka’s premier connectivity provider, Dialog Axiata PLC (“Dialog”) with a beach clean-up at Sarakkuwa beach in Ja-Ela.
The ‘Sayura Rakina Ralla’ Facebook (FB) page and campaign was also launched at the beach clean-up by State Minister of Urban Development, Coast Conservation, Waste Disposal and Community Cleanliness Hon Dr. Nalaka Godahewa MP, MEPA goodwill ambassadors Bhathiya and Santhush (BnS), Chairperson of the Environment Protection Agency (MEPA) Dharshani Lahandapura and General Manager of MEPA Dr. Terney Pradeep Kumara.
Sri Lanka has ranked poorly according to a global pollution study conducted by the World Bank in 2015, with plastic emerging as the chief culprit. On average, a Sri Lankan produces 500g of non-degradable waste per day resulting in a mammoth amount of 100 million KGs of solid waste added into Sri Lanka’s coastal waters, according to 2017 records. Sri Lanka despite taking pride in its turquoise seas, white sandy beaches, lush virgin forests and extensive lakes and rivers is one of the biggest polluters of non-bio-degradable waste in the world, especially in terms of plastic.
“I hope ‘Sayura Rakina Ralla’ generates the necessary traction that will educate the public to take the much-needed steps to help turn the fate of Sri Lanka’s coastline around so that future generations too can enjoy and savour its beauty,” stated Dr. Nalaka Godahewa MP, State Minister of Urban Development, Coast Conservation, Waste Disposal and Community Cleanliness.
“Being an island nation, with 510,000 square kilometres of sea under its belt as an Exclusive Economic Zone, which is eight times the size of the country’s land mass, it’s critical for Sri Lanka’s economy that we safeguard our primary national asset, our marine resources from pollution and lead the way in sustainable economic growth within the South Asian region.” Dr. Godahewa further added.
“Sri Lanka’s national wealth is the sea and as Sri Lankan citizens we should take responsibility in protecting our natural assets for the future generations to come,” Dharshani Lahandapura, Chairperson of MEPA said. “I would like to thank MEPA’s goodwill ambassadors, renowned musical duo Bathiya & Santhush for producing our theme song, Dialog Axiata for the overall support they have given towards MEPA and Sri Lanka Rugby who joined us for the inaugural beach clean-up project at Sarakkuwa Beach,” she further said.
The FB page can be found by simple typing ‘Sayura Rakina Ralla’ on FB search – https://www.facebook.com/SayuraRakinaRalla
If you would like to contribute your efforts towards the Marine Environment Protection Agency (MEPA) please contact Operations Manager of MEPA, Ms. Thalatha Ranasinghe on 076 6599088
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
