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President addresses VAT increase and economic stability at industry excellence awards ceremony
President Ranil Wickremesinghe, on Wednesday night, speaking at the National Industry Awards ceremony, acknowledged the challenging decision to increase the Value Added Tax (VAT) to 18 percent, emphasising the imperative need to maintain economic stability.
National Industry Excellence Awards 2023 was held at the Nelum Pokuna Theatre in Colombo. President Wickremesinghe stressed the importance of leadership built on honesty and transparency with the people.
President Ranil Wickremesinghe went on to announce his intention to propose loan concessions in the upcoming budget, specifically aimed at supporting small and medium-scale industrialists, with the aim of bolstering Sri Lanka’s export-oriented manufacturing sector.
The awards ceremony was held to recognize and honour 300 successful entrepreneurs across various categories, including platinum, gold, silver, and bronze awards, from a pool of over 4,000 industrial entrepreneurs who had competed in 21 major industrial sectors and 61 sub-industrial sectors.
President Wickremesinghe also addressed the challenges faced by industries in 2022, citing issues such as power shortages and difficulties in obtaining bank loans that led to the closure of many businesses. Despite these challenges, he noted the resilience of numerous individuals who managed to revive their industries and achieve success, particularly in the small and medium-scale sector.
The President stressed the importance of addressing ongoing concerns related to bank loans and market access, with a focus on supporting small and medium-scale industries in the upcoming budget.
President Wickremesinghe revealed ongoing discussions with international financial institutions, including the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and creditors to devise comprehensive strategies for revitalizing the nation’s economy.
The President emphasized the significance of consistently increasing income to meet loan repayment commitments and to gain the trust of private and multilateral creditors. He pointed out that a substantial portion of the next year’s budget would be allocated to debt repayment and interest payments, underscoring the paramount importance of safeguarding the country’s currency and fulfilling loan obligations.
President Wickremesinghe also explained the necessity of the decision to raise the VAT to 18 percent, aligning Sri Lanka’s practices with countries like India and Pakistan. He acknowledged that such decisions, while difficult, are essential for the country’s well-being, even if they attract public criticism.
In closing, the President reaffirmed his commitment to rebuilding the nation without reverting to dependency on external support, emphasizing that the path may be challenging, but he is confident that positive results will be achieved in the next two to three years through negotiations with international financial institutions, including the World Bank.
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
