News
Probe ordered into Agriculture Minister’s allegation Rs. 300 mn demanded from foreign investor for EIA on dairy farm
By Ifham Nizam
An investigation would be carried out into the allegation that Rs. 300 million was asked for to submit an Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIA) for a dairy farm, Environment Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said yesterday.
Minister Amaraweera said so in response to Agriculture Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage’s recent allegation that the Ministry of Environment had asked for as much as Rs. 300 million from a foreign investor to to an EIA on a dairy farm to be set up.
The Environment Ministry never issued environmental assessment reports, and there were 63 private institutions registered with the Central Environmental Authority (CEA) for issuing EIA Reports, Minister Amaraweera said.
Those activities were carried out by university intellectuals, Amaraweera added.
“I inquired about the statement made by Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage. That is completely false statement. Neither the Ministry of Environment nor the Central Environmental Authority can make such a request. The Central Environmental Authority (CEA) will provide a list of institutions that carry out relevant monitoring activities upon request for an EIA report from the CEA.
The investor should choose from which institution to obtain the EIA report.”
Minster Amaraweera instructed the CEA to investigate and find out whether any institution had unjustly demanded Rs. 300 million for the release of an environmental report.
The Environment Ministry yesterday launched a programme to plant white sandalwood saplings near the entrance to the Defence Headquarters to mark the first anniversary of the Husma Dena Thuru tree-planting programme aimed at increasing the country’s forest cover.
Dr. Anil Jasinghe, Secretary to the Ministry of Environment and a number of officials from the Army Headquarters were also present on the occasion.
The Minister said: “World Forest Day falls today (21). The theme of this Day is “Forest Restoration, Healing and a Path to Existence. 21 March has been designated as World Forest Day by the United Nations General Assembly since 2012.
“Sri Lanka has been celebrating this day since 2014. Also, this program is being launched today to mark the first anniversary of the programme launched by the Ministry of Environment to increase the forest cover.
“Sri Lanka’s forest cover is currently 29.02%. To increase it to 30 percent by 2030, we need to reforest 65,000 hectares. Although the responsibility for forestation is not directly vested in the Ministry of Environment, we will shoulder that responsibility.
“We have allocated Rs. 50 million this year for the Husma Dena Thuru National Tree Planting Programme.
“I would like to express my gratitude to the Army for its support for this programme. I have also done a number of programmes with the Army. I would like to mention that it was due to the unwavering commitment of the Army personnel, the Defence Minister, the Defence Secretary and the Army Commander that we were able to achieve success.”
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
