News
Politicians, cops and businessmen gang up to rape Kebilitta
By Jagath Kanaheraarachchi
Two former ministers, a senior policeman, a prominent monk and several others are involved in clearing Kotiyagala Forest Reserve in Kebilitta illegally.Over 60,000 acres of forest land have already been cleared, environmentalists complain.The forest reserve is located at Siyambalanduwa Pradesheeya sabha in Moneragala and the land cleared in this area is 20 times bigger that the clearings close to the Wilpattu National Park, recently.
The government has allocated 25,000 acres from this forest reserve for people who were displaced by various development activities in the district. Taking advantage of this, several powerful individuals have started clearing more land, using heavy equipment.Environmentalists claim that the initial allocation of land too was done arbitrarily.The land that is being cleared is the home to many plant and animal species and act as a corridor for animals to travel between Kumana and Yala National Parks.
Environmentalists claim that various powerful groups have taken advantage of the decision by the government to hand over the management of “Other State Forests (OSF)” to Divisional/Districts Secretaries.
Cleared forest areas
During the Covid-19 pandemic, the Secretary of the Ministry of Lands issued a circular (02/2021), “Survey and Allocation of Government Lands” on 06 August 2021 informing all the District Secretaries and Divisional Secretaries that the “Forests and wildlife conservations declared by the Director General of Forests in a Gazette and other Government lands other than the wildlife areas gazetted by the Director General of Wildlife should be kept in his custody.”
This gazette has been abused to release forests for various projects that are backed by politicians and their allies, environmentalists claim.Environmentalists also claim that the politicians have instigated the people of the area to seize land from the forest reserve. On 02 June a large group of people, travelling in hundreds of vehicles, entered the forest reserve and started to clear land.
Jayantha Wijesinghe from Rainforest Protectors of Sri Lanka said that the IGP had instructed regional police chiefs to stop the encroachment of the forest. However, a senior politician in the area has sided the encroachers.
“This police officer has justified the encroachment. Because this man holds a key post, it has been impossible to stop those who try to encroach the forest reserve. It’s time that the government immediately did something to stop this ecological disaster,” he said.
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
