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Prof. Gunaruwan says external interventions on the rise as crisis takes heavy toll
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Prof. Lalithasiri Gunaruwan, yesterday (08),warned of foreign powers taking advantage of the current political-economic social crisis here to advance their selfish agendas at the expense of Sri Lanka.
Prof. Gunaruwan alleged that foreign powers were all out to subject Sri Lanka to their economic domination by making strategic investments.
Prof. Gunaruwan said so when The Island sought his views on challenges faced by Sri Lanka caught up in a battle for supremacy between China and the ‘Quad’ alliance, comprising the US, India, Japan and Australia.
Unless remedial measures were taken to rectify the flawed foreign and economic policies, the country would face a catastrophe, Prof. Gunaruwan warned, drawing the attention of the Parliament to the late Sirimavo Bandaranaike’s foreign and economic policies, during the 1970-1977 period.
Current challenges in the context of China vs ‘Quad’ should be studied against the backdrop of neo-liberal policies followed by successive governments, to varying degrees, since 1977, leading to the still developing crisis, Prof. Gunaruwan said. It would be a grave mistake, on Sri Lanka’s part, to believe the balance of payments and debt crises could be resolved by securing the latest IMF bailout package worth USD 2.9 bn.
Prof. Gunaruwan, who headed a presidential committee that advised the then President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s government not to not sign the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) compact, without major revisions, said that Sri Lanka should be extremely cautious in dealing with foreign policy challenges.
The committee handed over its report to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in late June 2020.
Responding to another query, Prof. Gunaruwan said that those at the helm of political power, as well as the defence top brass should be really sensitive to what was happening in the context of the overall Indo-Pacific strategy. The MCC couldn’t be discussed without taking into consideration the US-led Indo-Pacific strategy and ‘Quad’ politics.
Asked whether the incumbent government had an opportunity to sign the MCC, Prof. Gunaruwan said that the previous administration could have done so. The Wickremesinghe-Rajapaksa government could go ahead with it. The committee, that had been appointed by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to inquire into the MCC compact, pointed out flaws, and recommended remedial measures, Prof. Gunaruwan said.
Noting that bilateral agreements, with foreign countries have historically lacked transparency, the senior economics Don said that the committee pointed how the MCC compact could undermine the very basis of Sri Lanka’s sovereignty, in case it was signed in its present form.
The report also dealt with how it could have impacted the country, in terms of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, enacted in 2015, Prof. Gunaruwan said, adding that the committee also pointed out how a law, inimical to the country, could have been enacted in Parliament.
Noting that Yahapalana government entered into Acquisition and Cross Servicing Agreement (ACSA) in August 2017, Prof. Gunaruwan stressed the importance of studying the implications of ACSA, MCC compact, as well as Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) aka Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA), as the country increasingly comes under pressure from various quarters.
Declining to comment on what would happen to the proposed SOFA/VFA, Prof. Gunaruwan said that its fate depend on the government, Parliament and the public. Asked how he viewed the recent controversy over the clandestine visit undertaken by CIA Director, William Joseph Burns et al in two massive aircraft to Colombo, Prof. Gunaruwan said that it shouldn’t be an issue if the official followed proper procedures.
However, in case, both the government and the US embassy suppressed the visit, it portended a serious threat, Prof. Gunaruwan said.
Commenting on President Ranil Wickrtemesinghe’s recent instructions to restore the unused section of the China Bay Oil Tank Farm, Prof. Gunaruwan said that successive governments had caused irreparable damage by facilitating agendas pursued by opposing camps.
An expanded deal on Trincomalee Oil Tank Farm with India, Yugadanavi energy deal with US-based New Fortress Energy, leasing Hambantota port for a period 99 years to China, Mannar and Pooneryn renewable energy projects to India’s Adani as well as foreign investments at the Colombo harbour, caused concerns for obvious reasons, he said.
Those who caused the economic crisis should accept the responsibility for brazen foreign interventions here, Prof. Gunaruwan said. Comparing Sri Lanka’s bankruptcy status with that of an insolvent family, the Professor emphasized that the country would have to make huge sacrifices to overcome what he described as overwhelming challenges.
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
