News
Move to hand over Sevanagala Sugar Co. to Daya G. alleged
Controversy over change of Cabinet portfolios continues:
Ex-minister responds to accusations, Sevanagala and Pelwatte brought under Dilum
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Minister Mahinda Amaraweera was given the plantation industries portfolio as Dr. Ramesh Pathirana, who previously held it, declined to present a Cabinet paper to hand over the loss-making Sevanagala Sugar Industries to former Minister Daya Gamage, political sources alleged yesterday (29).
Both Amaraweera and Dr. Pathirana contested the last general election held in August 2020 on the SLPP ticket.
Sources said that the ruling SLPP had strongly opposed President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s move to return Sevanagala Sugar Industries to UNP financier Gamage who procured the state-owned enterprise in 2001 during the previous UNP administration though it was reverted to government ownership under the Mahinda Rajapaksa administration.
Responding to The Island queries, sources said that the recent change in Cabinet portfolios took place against the backdrop of the SLPP’s refusal to back the move on Sevanagala. In the Cabinet reshuffle, Dr. Ramesh Pathirana received the appointment as Health Minister in addition to the Industries portfolio which he held at that time, whereas the Plantation Industries portfolio, held by him, was assigned to Hambantota District MP Amaraweera. Dr. Pathirana represents the Galle district.
Amaraweera received the Plantation Industries portfolio in addition to his post as Agriculture Minister. Sources said that though the removal of Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella received media attention, as it took place amidst public furore over the unprecedented deterioration of the public health sector, the bone of contention is the appointment of Amaraweera as the Plantation Minister.
Sources stressed that the SLPP felt that the SLFP rebels, currently in the Cabinet, would carry out President Wickremesinghe’s directives, regardless of the consequences. Sources revealed that the SLPP made representations at the highest level to the Office of the President in that regard.
Former Primary Industries and Social Empowerment Minister Daya Gamage said that the government should either hand him over the enterprise or pay him compensation as he made quite a large investment in a once-loss making project. The former MP Gamage said so when The Island sought his response to claims that attempts were being made to hand over Sevanagala to him.
The UNPer said that the Court of Appeal ruled that Sevanagala should be handed over to him or compensation should be paid. Acknowledging that a group of workers had moved the Supreme Court against the Court of Appeal ruling, the ex-minister said that he was ready to accept the factory or be granted adequate compensation. According to Gamage, the Rajapaksa administration had taken over the factory 12 years ago leaving him with a massive bank loan whereas the enterprise suffered due to poor management.
Gamage said that there were two cases pending regarding the Sevanagala matter. The ex-MP stressed the urgent need to address this issue as the failure on the part of the government to compensate him couldn’t be justified under any circumstances. The former parliamentarian said that he turned around the loss-making venture in a short time though the Rajapaksa government didn’t appreciate that.
However, SLPP Moneragala District MP Dr. Gayashan Nawanandana said that he made representations to President Ranil Wickremesinghe over the phone and at a government group meeting nearly four months ago. The MP said so in response to The Island query whether he felt cheated by the Wickremesinghe-Rajapaksa government moving to again privatise Sevanagala as alleged by the SLPP.
Dr. Nawanandana said that he was not only concerned about the alleged privatisation move but the continuing waste, corruption, irregularities and mismanagement at the enterprise. If it was properly run it could bring in sufficient revenue to the government, he said. The first time entrant to the Parliament, Dr, Nawanandana contested the last general election on the SLPP ticket as a nominee of Vasudewa Nanayakkara’s Democratic Left Front (DLF).
Asked whether he resented the plantation portfolio being placed under the purview of Minister Amaraweera, Dr. Nawanandana emphasized that though the plantation portfolio had been assigned to Amaraweera, both Sevanagala and Pelwatte Sugar had been gazetted under Investment Promotion Minister Dilum Amunugama. The MP said that both Sevanagala and Pelwatte had been run in a haphazard manner since 2020 and the urgent need to restore financial and administrative discipline at every level couldn’t be denied.
“All of us know the national economy is in a precarious situation. With the country now tied to the USD 2.9 bn IMF bailout package, we realise the situation the country is in. Unfortunately, the powers that be seemed to be still hesitant to take tangible measures to stamp out corruption in the public sector,” lawmaker Nawanandana said, adding that he raised the issue at hand both in Parliament and outside.
MP Nawanandana said that the top management of state enterprises should be held accountable for losses incurred due to shortcomings and corruption on their part.
The MP grudgingly acknowledged that Dr. Pathirana, in spite of being the Minister in charge of Sevanagala and Pelwatte, couldn’t really manage the situation due to powerful external interventions. Hundreds of people had been recruited even without the knowledge of Dr. Pathirana. Dr. Nawanandana said that though the country was declared bankrupt in April last year remedial measures were yet to be taken to clean up the public sector corruption.
The MP expressed confidence as assured at the government parliamentary group, President Wickremesinghe would take tangible measures to restore discipline at Sevanagala and Pelwatte. The MP said that the bankrupt economy couldn’t bear the continuing losses of the corrupt political party system coupled with mega business interests inflicted on the country.The reports put out by parliamentary watchdog committees were evidence that the public sector continued to bleed the economy.
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.
