News
Navy seizes second trawler with heroin within five days
Altogether over 440 kg of heroin and ICE taken into custody
By Rathindra Kuruwita
The Sri Lanka Navy intercepted a local multi-day fishing trawler carrying a consignment of narcotics on 19 Oct., on the high seas about 292 nautical miles (about 540 km) south of Dondra. The trawler was brought to the Colombo Port yesterday (24).
It was the second detection made during the past five days in the southern seas.
The Navy headquarters said the intercepted local multi-day fishing trawler carried 219 kg of heroin. Five suspects have been taken into custody.
The successful naval operation was conducted on a tip-off received by the State Intelligence Service (SIS).
The street value of the consignment of drugs weighing around 219 kg and 634 g taken into custody during the second operation is over Rs. 4.5 bn.
The suspects taken into custody along with the haul of narcotics were identified as residents of Kudawella, Tissamaharama, Kottegoda and Mamadala areas in the south. They are aged between 30 and 48. The suspects along with the stock of narcotic drugs and the fishing trawler were handed over to the Police Narcotic Bureau for legal action.
The first trawler captured 90 nautical miles west of Galle on 20 Oct., by the Coast Guard was brought to the Dondra fisheries harbour on the morning of 22 Oct. It carried 212 kg of heroin and crystal methamphetamine commonly known as ICE.
Sri Lanka would establish an Anti-Narcotic Command to combat the influx of drugs from overseas, Senior Adviser on National Security to the President and Chief of the Presidential Staff, Sagala Ratnayaka announced on Tuesday (24).
That would enable the Sri Lankan armed forces and the State Intelligence Service to collaborate with international intelligence agencies to conduct anti-drug operations, Ratnayake said while inspecting a cache of 212 kilos of heroin and ICE with a street value of Rs 4 billion (12.3 million U.S. dollars) seized by the Navy.
Sri Lanka Coast Guard Ship, Samudraraksha, made the first detection 91 nautical miles (168 km) off Galle, based on a tip-off by the Sri Lanka Navy and the Police Narcotics Bureau.
The stock of heroin was brought back to the Colombo Port.
Ratnayaka said the Anti-Narcotic Command Bill would be presented to Parliament soon.
Ratnayaka said that at present the anti-narcotic operations could prevent the smuggling of about 65 percent of the dangerous drugs into the country, and the new programme was aimed at putting an end to drug smuggling, he added.
The Navy has seized narcotics with a gross street value of over Rs 15.2 billion rupees (46.64 million dollars) during operations so far this year.
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
