News
New Ministers sworn in before President Gotabaya Rajapaksa
Cabinet Ministers
1. His Excellency President Gotabaya Rajapaksa – Defence
2. Hon. Mahinda Rajapaksa – Finance
3. Hon. Mahinda Rajapaksa – Buddha Sasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs
4. Hon. Mahinda Rajapaksa – Urban Development and Housing
5. Nimal Siripala De Silva – Labour
6. G.L Peiris – Education
7. Pavithradevi Wanniarachchi – Health
8. Dinesh Gunawardena – Foreign Relations
9. Douglas Devananda – Fisheries
10. Gamini Lokuge – Transport
11. Bandula Gunawardena – Trade
12. R.M.C.B. Rathnayake – Wildlife and Forest Conservation
13. Janaka Bandara Tennakoon – Public Services, Provincial Councils and Local Government
14. Keheliya Rambukwella – Mass Media
15. Chamal Rajapaksa – Irrigation
16. Dullas Alahapperuma – Power
17. Johnston Fernando – Highways
18. Wimal Weerawansa – Industries
19. Mahinda Amaraweera – Environment
20. S.M. Chandrasena – Land
21. Mahindananda Aluthgamage – Agriculture
22. Vasudeva Nanayakkara – Water Supply
23. Udaya Prabhath Gammanpila – Energy
24. Ramesh Pathirana – Plantation
25. Prasanna Ranatunga – Tourism
26. Rohitha Abeygunawardena – Ports and Shipping
27. Namal Rajapaksa – Youth and Sports Affairs
28. PC Ali Sabry – Justice
State Ministers
1. Chamal Rajapaksa – Internal Security, Home Affairs and Disaster Management
2. Piyankara Jayaratne – Foreign Employment Promotions and Market Diversification
3. Duminda Dissanayake – Solar, Wind, Grid Power Generation Projects Development
4. Dayasiri Jayasekara -Batik, Handloom Fabrics and Local Apparel Products
5. Lasantha Alagiyawanna – Cooperative Services, Marketing Development and Consumer Protection
6. Sudarshani Fernandopulle -Prisons Reforms and Prisoners’ Rehabilitation
7. Arundika Fernando – Coconut, Fishtail Palm, Palmyra and Rubber product Promotion and Allied Industrial Production and Export Diversification
8. Nimal Lansa – Rural Road and other Infrastructure Facilities
9. Jayantha Samaraweera – Warehouse Facilities, Container Yards, Port Supply Facilities and Boats and Shipping Industry Development
10. Roshan Ranasinghe – Land Management Affairs, State Business Lands and Property Development
11. Kanaka Herath – Company Establishment Reforms, Tea Estate Crops, Tea Factory Modernization and Tea Export Diversification
12. Vidura Wickramanayake – Promotion of National Heritage, Performing Arts and Rural Artists
13. Janaka Wakkumbura – Development of Sugarcane, Maize, Cashew, Pepper, Cinnamon, Cloves, Betel Production and Promotion of Allied Products and Export
14. Vijitha Berugoda – Dhamma Schools, Bhikku Education, Pirivenas and Buddhist Universities
15. Shehan Semasinghe – Development of Samurdhi Home Economy, Microfinance, Self-Employment and Businesses and Under-Utilized State Resources
16. Mohan de Silva – Regulation of Fertilizer Production and Supply, use of Chemical Fertilizers and Pesticides
17. Lohan Ratwatte – Gem and Jewelry related Industries
18. Dilum Amunugama – Vehicle Regulation, Bus Transport Services and Carriages and Automotive Industries
19. Wimalaweera Dissanayake – Wildlife Conservation Protection Programmes including Electric Fence and Ditch Construction and Re-Forestation and Wildlife Resources Development
20. Tharaka Balasooriya – Regional Cooperation
21. Indika Anurudda – Rural Home Construction and Building Materials Industry Promotion
22. Kanchana Wijesekera – Ornamental Fish, Freshwater Fish and Shrimp Farming Development, Multi-day Fishing and Fish Export
23. Sanath Nishantha – Development of Rural and Regional Drinking Water Supply Projects
24. Siripala Gamlath – Development of Common Infrastructure Facilities of Settlements and Canals in Mahaweli Zones
25. Sarath Weerasekara – Provincial Councils and Local Government Affairs
26. Anuradha Jayaratne – Development of Rural Paddy Fields and Associated Tanks, Reservoirs and Irrigation
27. Sadasivam Viyalendran – Professional Development of Postal Services and Mass Media
28. Thenuka Vidanagamage – Rural and School Sports Infrastructure Promotion
29. Sisira Jayakody – Promotion of Indigenous Medicine, Development of Rural Ayurvedic Hospitals and Community Health
30. Piyal Nishantha de Silva – Women and Child Development, Pre-School and Primary Education, School Infrastructure and School Services
31. Prasanna Ranaweera – Cane, Brass, Clay Furniture and Rural Industry Promotion
32. D. V. Chanaka – Development of Aviation and Export Zones
33. D. B. Herath – Livestock and Farm Promotion and Dairy and Eggs Related Industries
34. Shasheendra Rajapaksa – Paddy and Cereals, Organic Food, Vegetables, Fruits, Chilies, Onions and Potatoes, Seed Production and High Tech Agriculture
35. Nalaka Godahewa – Urban Development, Coast Conservation, Waste Disposal and Public Sanitation
36. Jeewan Thondaman – Estate Housing and Community Infrastructure Facilities
37. Ajith Nivard Cabraal – Finance and Capital Markets and Public Enterprise Reforms
38. Seetha Arambepola – Skills Development, Vocational Education, Research and Innovation
39. Channa Jayasumana – Pharmaceutical Production, Supply and Regulation
District Coordinating Committee Chairmen:
1. Pradeep Udugoda – Colombo
2. Sahan Pradeep Vithana – Gampaha
3. Sanjeewa Edirimanna – Kalutara
4. Wasantha Yapa Bandara -Kandy
5. N. Nalaka Bandara Kottegoda – Matale
6. S.B. Dissanayake – Nuwara Eliya
7. Sampath Athukorala – Galle
8. Nipuna Ranawaka -Matara
9. Upul Galappaththi -Hambantota
10. Angajan Ramanathan -Jaffna
11. Douglas Devananda -Kilinochchi
12. K. Dileepa – Vavuniya
13 K. Kader Masthan -Mannar and Mullaitivu
14. D. Weerasinghe – Ampara
15. Kapila Athukorala -Trincomalee
16 Gunapala Rathnasekara -Kurunegala
17. Ashoka Priyantha – Puttalam
18. H. Nandasena -Anuradhapura
19. Amarakeerthi Athukorala – Polonnaruwa
20. Sudarshana Denipitiya – Badulla
21. Kumarasiri Rathnayaka – Monaragala
22. Akila Ellawala – Ratnapura
23 Rajika Wickramasinghe – Kegalla
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
