News
PB applies breaks on increasing CEB overdraft already at staggering Rs 28 billion
Power cuts extended to seven hours
By Ifham Nizam
The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) says that the People’s Bank has declined to provide it funds and that would lead to more stumbling blocks to clear while also extending power cuts.
However, a CEB top management official said following discussions with Power Minister Pavithra Wanniarchchi, the matter was supposed to have been cleared by the Bank Monday evening.
The overdraft of Rs, 12 billion had jumped to Rs. 28 billion and the Bank officials had instructed the CEB management that they had to withhold any further increases.
However, CEB spokesman Andrew Navamani told The Island that it would not have a direct impact with the 200MW Emergency Power Purchases which is in the pipeline after the Cabinet endorsed it.
Power sector regulator, Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) yesterday said that many areas countrywide would experience a seven-hour power outage today.
Meanwhile, another official said that despite going for emergency power from Independent Power Producers, power shedding would go on for long periods.
Some engineers say the power cuts will go on for more than a year while others say it will go on for more than seven months.
“The situation at Samanala Wewa will be disastrous if rains fail to come as expected by May, Then the Southern part of the country will experience a total blackout”, a senior engineer said.
“We are having a shortage of between 400MW and 500MW daily,” a top official said, adding bridging it is not easy though coal stocks are available for the moment, new shipments had to be brought down before the rough seas set in for the year”.
PUCSL said that it had approved the request made by the CEB to increase the power cut duration for today (29), due to the unavailability of fuel for the generation of 300MW of thermal capacity.
Accordingly, the areas listed under the Groups P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W will experience power cuts of 05 hours (daytime) between 8.30am and 6.30pm and 02 hours and 15 minutes (nighttime) between 6.30pm and 11.00pm.
Meanwhile the areas under the Groups A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L will be imposed power cuts of 05 hours (daytime) between 8.00am and 6.00pm and 02 hours and 30 minutes (nighttime) between 6.00pm and 11.00pm.
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
