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President to intensify focus on national unity, youth aspirations
By Sanath Nanayakkare
Sri Lanka, while pursuing the macro-fiscal adjustment programme, under the IMF’s Extended Fund Facility arrangement, should focus on two key national issues concurrently, President Ranil Wickremesinghe said yesterday.
“If the country is to achieve economic growth and share the dividends of prosperity among all its people, we need to focus on two key policy pillars. Number one would be national unity that drives economic growth in a sustainable manner. Number two would be meeting the aspirations of our youth – the valuable human resource – crucial for promoting the development of the country,” he said.
The President said so via Zoom, addressing the UNP May Day rally at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium.
“The UNP is a policy-driven political party. In our 2020 election manifesto, we asked for a mandate to go to the IMF and the World Bank to obtain USD 7 billion from these institutions. We were the only political party that asked for a people’s mandate for this. Other political parties gave various promises, that couldn’t be kept, while knowing the true status of the economy. As a result of stating the bitter truth, the UNP slid down to just one seat from the national list. In 2022, when the crisis was looming, I met with former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and advised him to get assistance from the IMF. Subsequently, when the former President summoned a conference of political leaders, represented in Parliament, the Tamil National Alliance and I participated in it, while other political parties boycotted it. My concern, at the time, was not doing politics but bringing some relief to the suffering masses. I accepted the presidency, at a time the country had completely collapsed. I did so on one conviction. That conviction was that I could rebound the economy with the support of the ministers who were also committed to accomplishing that common objective. Today there is political stability.
Food security has been ensured. Fuel and fertiliser shortages, and the electricity crisis, have been resolved. I convey my thanks to the ministers, political authorities and officials for their support, they extended, in getting this work done. However, we have to move beyond stability. We must become an advanced economy by 2048. India has that target set for 2047. China set it for 2049. We have set our sights on 2048. We should make policies and deploy strategies now to give that confidence to the young people that we are moving ahead, in line with that target. The UNP should take stewardship for the future.
Now as the Parliament has approved the IMF framework, I want to move beyond it. First, we must resolve our ethnic issues. Discussions are ongoing in this regard. I believe that all ethnicities would be able to come to a consensus, in this regard, by the end of this year, without making any betrayals. Thus we will be able to work together for the progress of the country. We must drive our economy towards a digital economy, and a green economy, for the aspirations of our youth to bear fruit. They want a transformation in our socio-economic environment. We must listen to it and create it. We will soon be giving prominence to the youth in parliamentary select committees and oversight committees. I request the support of all segments of the society to achieve these objectives,” the President said.
UNP General Secretary, Range Bandara, during his speech said that President Ranil Wickremesinghe didn’t physically attend the UNP forum because he didn’t want to play a political role and was keen on resolving the socio-economic issues at hand.
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
