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Minister Johnston accuses Opposition of resorting to dirty politics by instigating people to commit violence
Chief Government whip and Highways Minister Johnston Fernando on Monday accused the Opposition of promoting what he called ‘vulture politics’ by instigating people to commit violence.
Speaking at a ceremony held in Balapitiya to mark the laying the foundation stone for two new bridges, the Minister said: “The intention of Sajith Premadasa’s gang and Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s JVP is clear. They want to see blood and violence thinking that they could make use of them to their advantage. They send their grassroots level activists to create disturbances at gas selling points and fuel stations by instigating people. We have identified their intentions and plans. We will not let their plots succeed.”
Minister Fernando said that behind the bloody violence that prevailed in the country in the late 1980s, were the UNP and JVP leaders. “They are nothing but political vultures who dream of furthering their political goals over the dead bodies of innocents. On the other hand they are convinced that they cannot come to power through the means of elections. Therefore they try to capitalise on the prevailing shortages to create unrest, violence and bloodshed thinking that it is their shortcut to power”, he said.
Minister Fernando said that there were shortages of many essential commodities and price hikes. “We are not unaware of this. We have recognized these market trends and are doing everything possible to provide relief to the people as fast as we can. Truth number one is that these shortages are not only in Sri Lanka but experienced on a global scale. Second, we have no intention of making use of the excuse of the pandemic but to try hard to develop this country, despite the overwhelming challenges. We know that the people in these villages would be happy to see the two bridges coming up to ease their burdens. Third, these problems of shortages are only temporary. When the time comes for us to see them off from our economy, we won’t tell you that we could not achieve our developmental goals because of these temporary problems. We know people had trust in President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. All I am asking you is to keep that trust unwavering as we are attending to solve these crises. Do not fall for the tricks and lies of the Opposition. I won’t be surprised if they come this evening and describe how these new bridges are being constructed with the intention of mining sand in the Madhu Ganga (river). They spread that sort of lies and describe every developmental act as an attempt to steal public funds or to destroy the environment. You may recall how they described the road to Lankagama as an attempt to fell trees in the Sinharaja.”
“We are not afraid of Opposition tactics. It is not out of fear that we do not retaliate but because we respect democracy and we are stronger than them. We are led by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa who led this nation to a war victory against the world’s most ruthless terrorist outfit. We are neither retreating nor surrendering and also know that people are still with us,” the Minister said.
Plantations Minister Dr. Ramesh Pathirana, State Minister of Coast Conservation and Low-Lying Lands Development Mohan P de Silva, Galle District MP Geetha Kumarasinghe, Secretary to the Ministry of Highways R.W.R. Pemasiri and Director General of RDA Sardha Weerakoon were among those present.
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
