News
NFC launched Rs 100 mn project in honour of Lester James Peries without approval
Waste, corruption and irregularities galore
It was revealed during the COPE (Committee on Public Enterprises) proceedings on Monday (19) that the National Film Corporation (NFC) hadn’t even bothered to obtain approval for the construction of a museum and a film school named after the late Lester James Peries. Construction work commenced on April 5, 2019.
The COPE has instructed the NFC Chairman Dr. Jayantha Dharmadasa to complete the Rs 100 mn project following the due process.
The following is the text of the statement issued by Parliament after examination of the Auditor General’s Reports and the Current Performance Reports for the Fiscal Years 2016 and 2017 of the Sri Lanka National Film Corporation:
The Chairman of the COPE Prof. Charitha Herath said that many issues have transpired due to the lack of standards in the process of digitizing cinemas.
Accordingly, The COPE Chair pointed out that a new perspective on the part of the Sri Lanka National Film Corporation with regards to the digitization of cinemas is required. He stated the above at the COPE Committee meeting held on the 19th of July 2021.
The COPE Meeting was held to examine the Auditor General’s Reports and the Current Performance Reports for the Fiscal Years 2016 and 2017 of the Sri Lanka National Film Corporation.
The COPE also disclosed that the outstanding film production loan balance which was given by the National Film Corporation and Fund as at 31 December 2020 is Rs. 141,292,087.
The Committee also directed the Corporation to take immediate action in order to recover the outstanding loan amount of Rs. 7,780,983 given to 146 cinemas which were closed before 2001.
Recommendations were made at the COPE meeting held on 24th March 2016 to formulate a programme for the modernization of cinema halls and to report on the progress. The COPE inquired the National Film Corporation regarding the non-implementation of the decisions taken.
By the end of 2019, the Corporation maintained 09 current bank accounts and the Committee disclosed that its average monthly balance was Rs. 29.2 million. The COPE chair pointed out that the lack of proper financial management governing the institution was a serious concern.
The COPE paid special attention regarding the failure to complete the construction of a museum and a film school named after Dr. Lester James Peries which commenced on April 05th, 2019 at an estimated cost of Rs. 99.9 million on time.
The approval of the Urban Development Authority had not been obtained for the construction. The Committee instructed the Chairman of the National Film Corporation, Dr. Jayantha Dharmadasa to complete the project following the due process.
The Committee further directed the Chairman of the National Film Corporation to conduct a feasibility study on the establishment of a Film School.
It was also revealed that two officers who had not been confirmed in a permanent position at the Department of Cultural Affairs in 2019 and another officer had been appointed to fill the three vacancies existing in the National Film Corporation as acting officers and to perform duties with their salaries and allowances amounting to a total of Rs. 3,098,046.
The Committee paid special attention towards the non-recovery of the movie rental of Rs. 12,343,433 from the Maradana Cine City Cinema Hall from 2003 to 31st May 2016 as at March 2021.
Although Rs. 25 million has been allocated for the improvement of the production facilities of the University Studio in Kelaniya and Rs. 50 million has been allocated for the establishment of a film archive and restoration of films, the amount had not been utilized during the year under review. The Committee also paid special attention to the fact that out of the Rs. 50 million allocated for the establishment of a National Training School, only Rs. 500,000 was spent.
The Committee also inquired from the Corporation regarding the non-compliance with the Procurement Guidelines pertaining to the expenditure of Rs. 44,394,717 for the Presidential Film Awards which was held on 31st March 2017.
COPE Chairman Prof. Herath instructed the Secretary to the Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs Prof. Kapila Gunawardena to inquire into the matter and submit a report to the Committee.
The Committee also paid special attention to the fact that an action plan for the year 2020 has not been prepared in line with the 2020-2025 Combined Plan.
It was also pointed out that the annual reports of the National Film Corporation since 2015 have not been tabled in Parliament. The Committee directed the Secretary to the Ministry to take immediate action in that regard.
The Committee made note that there are 57 vacancies in the National Film Corporation at present and that the Corporation had not acted upon getting the amendments to the recruitment procedure approved by the Management Services Department.
The Committee making a recommendation to the Secretary to the Ministry stated that several high-ranking officials of the Corporation had been suspended and that investigations regarding such suspensions should be completed expeditiously. The Committee was of the view that the delay of some disciplinary inquiries by one and a half years was an issue of concern.
Prof. Kapila Gunawardena stated that at present the distribution of films was done by the private sector and that a gazette notification would be issued in the future to take it over to the government.
Minister (Dr.) Sarath Weerasekera addressing the committee pointed out the need to electronically distribute tickets in cinemas.
Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage, State Ministers Susil Premajayantha and Indika Anuruddha, Members of Parliament Patali Champika Ranawaka, Eran Wickramaratne, Harsha de Silva, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Jagath Pushpakumara, Jayantha Samaraweera, Premnath C. Dolawaththa, Shanakiyan Rasamanickam and Uddika Premarathna were present at the meeting.
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
