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‘President should be supported to ensure SL retains its independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity’
When leaving Sri Lanka, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, tweeted: “My meetings with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Foreign Minister Gunawardena reaffirmed Sri Lanka’s pivotal role as an Indo-Pacific partner. Together we’re committed to advancing our shared interests in the region, including security, and stability.”
Although our biggest fears were on the MCC and SOFA agreements, they were not signed, and the effort to get Sri Lanka to accept the USA positions condemning China were rejected does not appear to have upset Pompeo. His whole argument was that China posed a danger to Sri Lanka and other Asian countries. That it had military ambitions to occupy our land, particularly with regard to countries in South East Asia. That China was giving loans with the ulterior motive of getting us into debt and exploiting that to their advantage. It was therefore necessary for Sri Lanka to join the USA in its effort to wage war on China to achieve a regime change, which the USA has done successfully many times in other countries.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa effectively countered these arguments. He showed that China had helped from the time of the LTTE war and that much of this was as grants and not loans. Even in the matter of loans they were low interest and affordable.
On the question of military dangers and bases, he said Sri Lanka would not under any circumstances allow any foreign power to violate our independence, sovereignty or territorial integrity. The latter statement was particularly a blow to USA’s ambitions in Sri Lanka.
However, both sides agreed on the need to ensure that shipping lanes and the use of the sea should be left open to all. That there should be freedom of movement in the region. That there should be free trade and exchange and that assistance in terms of technology and investment was welcome. But what has appealed most to Pompeo is that no changes have been made in the ACSA Agreement, which had already been signed by the Yahapalanaya Government.
This allows the USA to make use of any airport or harbour in Sri Lanka. Thus, the USA can continue to make use of Katunayake for its big transport planes to bring its heavy armaments and take them across to Trincomalee to be loaded on to their aircraft carriers for use in the whole Indo-Pacific region.
The ACSA agreement also provides for the training of Sri Lankan troops by the USA and their use when necessary. Thus, without actually setting up a USA military base through the ACSA agreement, those needs can be fulfilled.
The commitment of Sri Lanka under the ACSA agreement to be a partner and help in the implementation of the Indo-Pacific arrangement draws Sri Lanka to work with India, Australia, Japan and the USA. Increasingly, the link between India and Sri Lanka will be strengthened and thereby the needs of the USA will be fulfilled.
For instance, the joint military exercises of Sri Lanka with India and the USA will be promoted. In this way, we will become a part of the Indo-Pacific Alliance which is mainly focused against China. It will require great determination to ensure that we are not drawn into a position of conflict with China.
I hope that the SLPP-led Government will be able to face up to this challenge. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has already displayed his capability. We must all give him maximum support to ensure that we retain our independence, freedom, sovereignty and territorial integrity.
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
