News
Opposition demands tabling of agreement with IMF
By Saman Indrajith
Opposition members yesterday demanded that the government table the IMF staff-level agreement in Parliament.
Opposition and SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa said that the government had reached an agreement with the IMF. If the government needed its support for the IMF-recommended economic reforms, the Opposition needed to know the contents of the agreement at issue.
Premadasa said that Parliament had authority on public finance, and therefore the staff-level agreement with the IMF, should be tabled in Parliament.
Chief Opposition Whip and SJB Kandy District MP Lakshman Kiriella said that the IMF recommended reforms envisaged the sale of public ventures and the government had no mandate to privatise state enterprises.
“People voted for the Vistas of Prosperity and Splendour, which pledged not to privatise public enterprises. That was the mandate those in the government received. If they now try to restructure the public enterprises, they are acting against the mandate. We know that some state institutions have been listed for privatisation. There are people of over one million families serving in them. We are ready to support the process of restructuring the loss-making institutions, but you have to keep Parliament informed of this process,” Kiriella said.
SJB Colombo District MP and Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Public Finance, Dr. Harsha de Silva said that the government would not be able to get the Opposition’s support to implement IMF-recommended economic reforms without appraising Parliament of the contents of the agreement.
SLPP dissident MP and Chairman of the Committee on Public Enterprises, Prof Charitha Herath said that Parliament had the authority on public finance as per Section 148 of the Standing Orders, and the government should table the staff-level agreement with the IMF in Parliament. “I do not think the government could table the agreement in its entirety, but it needs to inform the House of the framework of the contents of the agreement,” Prof Herath said.
SLPP dissident MP Gevindu Cumaratunga said that former Finance Minister Ali Sabry kept informing the House of the government’s financial agreements with other countries. “As it was transpired at the recent meeting with the Central Bank Governor in Parliament, there had been many such agreements where Parliament had been kept in the dark. The decisions must be taken after informing this House because finally if it would become the responsibility of the 225 MPs here,” Cumaratunga said.
Badulla District SJB MP Chaminda Wijesiri said that when Sri Lanka had started talks with the IMFRanil Wickremesinghe was an Opposition MP. “As an Opposition MP, Wickremesinghe asked the government to table all documents pertaining to negotiations with the IMF. Basil Rajapaksa was the Finance Minister and did not table the IMF documents.”
Leader of the House and Education Minister Susil Premajayantha said that the request would be put forward to the President and Prime Minister and the latter would keep the House informed on the staff-level agreement, as promised.
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
