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Peaceful protests may turn violent if govt inaction persists –LSSP
LSSP leader Prof Tissa Vitarana in his May Day message says that the poor go hungry and in the face of Government inaction the people have turned to lengthy peaceful protests, but in vain, and now may turn to more violent forms of protest like hartals.
The message says: The Lanka Samasamaja Party (LSSP) gives its best wishes to the working people of Sri Lanka on May Day, the day of unity and celebration of the working class of the world. But with the deepening crisis of global capitalism, aggravated by the Covid 19 Pandemic, the economic burden has been passed onto the working and poor people, with rising prices and frozen incomes. Job losses have occurred due to the owners trimming the workforce and factory closures, leading to longer working hours and increased unemployment. Worker’s rights like overtime payments, EPF etc that the LSSP won are now being cast aside. Steps like contract labour is undermining the trade union movement, which stood at 70% in 1970 and has now dropped to 8%. The rich are becoming richer and the poor poorer, with the rich-poor gap widening, both within nations like Sri Lanka, and between nations.
In Sri Lanka more than 60% of the families live below the poverty line and many have to manage on one meal a day. The plantation workers and other workers in the rural agricultural sector suffer most. The middle class too has been affected recently after the dollar crisis.The malnutrition level has gone up to 18.3%, having an adverse effect on the physical and mental development of the children, the future generation. The Government has publicly stated that traders are free to charge any prices, thus exploiting, both the cultivator and the consumer, at their will. State intervention in marketing to control prices is absent. The poor go hungry and in the face of Government inaction the people have turned to lengthy peaceful protests, but in vain, and now may turn to more violent forms of protest like hartals.
. The high cost of living, with a token increase in income to state sector employees, ignoring the private sector, has led to widespread resentment and peaceful protests. The Government needs to have a dialogue with the protestors and address their grievances, but for some peculiar reason it is not, which makes one wonder whether there is an ulterior motive. The trade union movement is weak and this has been further affected by the contract labour system, which the employers manipulate. All these may facilitate the USA achieving its objectives. It needs to have Sri Lanka as a semi-colony and a military base to replace Diego Garcia, which it has had to give back to Mauritiuson an ICC directive. With an earlier Finance Minister, who remains a force in the Government, and the President in consort as American citizens in charge of the Sri Lankan economy it has been made bankrupt. This has justified borrowing from the IMF, and accepting their harmful conditions. The path is being cleared to force us to accept both the IMF terms, as well as sign the MCC and SOFA agreements with the USA. The former to exploit our economy, and the latter to use Sri Lanka asa military base for the USA.
This May Day must be made the occasion to expose these sinister moves, increase public awareness and as one nation prevent their implementation. The LSSP calls upon all progressive and nationalist forces in Sri Lanka to help save our country at this critical juncture. Long live the
Sri Lankan people as one Nation in unity and harmony, and let us overcome the dangers confronting us.
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
