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Probe X-Press Pearl disaster against backdrop of Port City and Selendiva projects – Church spokesperson
By Shamindra Ferdinando
The Catholic Church was quite concerned about the long-term impact of the sinking of the container carrier X-Press Pearl off the Colombo port, Rev. Father Cyril Gamini Fernando said yesterday.
The ecological disaster the ill-fated ship had caused couldn’t be compensated for with a one-off payment, Rev Father Fernando said, urging the government to set the record straight.
Responding to The Island queries, the parish priest of Kurana St Anne’s Church said that he had raised the possibility of a conspiracy to deprive the fishing community of their livelihood when he addressed the media last week at the Archbishop’s House alongside the Archbishop of Colombo Rt. Rev. Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith.
The arrival of the ill-fated vessel in Sri Lankan waters on May 19 and its sinking two weeks later underscored the need for a comprehensive inquiry, Rev Fernando said.
According to the former Spokesperson for the Catholic Church, the X-Press Pearl disaster should be examined, also taking into consideration the recent passage of the Colombo Port City Economic Commission Bill in Parliament and the Cabinet approval for Selendiva Investments Ltd. to facilitate foreign investments in Colombo and its suburbs.
Noting the concerns raised by the Opposition and the government’s assurance that properties wouldn’t be sold to external parties, Rev Fernando said that the people should watch the direction the SLPP government was moving in. Government intervention in Muthurajawela wetlands, too, was a matter of serious concern, Rev Fernando said, calling for a public discussion on high profile government projects.
Selendiva has taken over three ventures—Hotel Developers (Lanka) PLC, which is the owning company of Hilton Colombo, Canwill Holdings Ltd., owners of the proposed Grand Hyatt Colombo and residences that are under construction and Grand Oriental Hotel (GOH). Accordingly, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, in his capacity as the Minister of Urban Development and Housing has secured cabinet approval to move ahead with three investment portfolios—’Colombo Fort Heritage Square’, ‘Immovable Property Development’, and ‘The Government — Owned Hospitality Sector’, under Selendiva Investments. Former UDA Chairman Nimal Perera heads Selendiva Investments.
Successive governments had advanced their own agendas at the expense of national interest, Rev Fernando said, urging the proponents of such current projects to explain whether the previous exercises had benefited the country. “The Covid-19 prevention programme is obviously in turmoil,” Rev Fernando said, dismissing claims that the Church caused unnecessary friction by taking a public stand on the issues at hand.
Rev Fernando said that the Church couldn’t keep quiet when the livelihood of thousands of fisher families already struggling to make ends meet due to Covid-19 fallout were deprived of an opportunity to resume fishing. Inclement weather had affected more people with over 200,000 displaced and caused over a dozen deaths, Rev Fernando said.
He said the public appreciated the stand taken up by the Church as regards several contentious issues ranging from inordinate delay in punishing those who masterminded the Easter Sunday massacre and denial of the sole livelihood of fisher families.
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
