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MPs complain of rip-off in supplying meals in parliament
By Saman Indrajith
Issues related to the costs and prices of heavily subsidised meals provided to the MPs in the Parliament canteen were raised afresh yesterday by SJB Colombo District MP SM Marikkar.
Raising a point of order MP Marikkar said that there were newspaper reports that a meal of an MP cost Rs 3,000. “People ask whether we eat gold here. The fish served this morning in the parliamentary canteen was not fresh. That is the quality of food served to the MPs here; we eat better at home, but in the meantime there are reports that the cost of meal of an MP is Rs 3,000. Someone has to correct this situation and tell the truth. This was mentioned at the orientation programme for MPs at the Parliamentary complex on Tuesday. The correct figures must be given. I am speaking on behalf of all 225 MPs. The impression the reports created is wrong. I hope the speaker would correct this.
Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena: Were you there at the last session of the Tuesday’s workshop. There I gave the correct figures while making a statement on this matter.
MP Marikkar: The newspapers have not reported what you said. Hope if you correct it here so that it would be telecast live.
During the workshop on Tuesday Director (Finance) of Parliament A.S. Upananda stated that a meal that costs Rs 3,000 is given to an MP at a rate of Rs 200. He made that statement while speaking on the functions of food and catering and housekeeping departments of parliament. He stated that an MP was charged Rs 100 for breakfast, Rs 200 for lunch and snacks and tea at Rs 50.
Following the statement, young MPs protested.
State Minister Dr. Seetha Arambepola: We had those meals during the past couple of days. But I am sure that a single meal would not cost that much. The food given is not worth that much.
MPs shouted that the matter should be corrected and it was a shame to state that they eat at Rs 200 what was worth Rs 3,000.
Colombo District MP Premanath C. Dolawatte: I do not think that this meal costs Rs 3,000. We do not need your food. We could bring food from home.
State Minister Dr. Arambepola: I looked for where we would have access to Rs 3,000 buffet meal. There is no such thing. Do not publicise wrong facts. That is why people hate MPs.
Deputy Secretary General Neil Iddawela: What we meant here is the cost of a meal.
MPs shouted that the figures of the cost of a meal was wrong and volunteered to calculate the figure by themselves.
Deputy Secretary General Iddawela: In a day around 2,000 persons receive food from parliament and during budget debates the number of persons who took food is around 3,000.
An MP: Is everyone in Parliament given food?
Deputy Secretary General Iddawela: Yes. All working at Police, banks, post office, CEB are given food.
MPs said that it would be better if they brought food from home because there would be no blame on them.
Deputy Secretary General Iddawela: That we could decide in the future. I have just received correct figures from the Audit Branch. A meal with fish costs Rs 950 while a vegetable meal is Rs 629 for an MP.
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
