News
Prof. Jayasumana warns consequences can be quite grave
Pathetic public response to Pfizer booster roll-out
By Shamindra Ferdinando
In spite of the promotional campaign for the Pfizer-BioNTech booster jab, the public response for just concluded vaccination week (Jan 11-17) had been low, State Minister Prof. Channa Jayasumana told The Island.
Lawmaker Prof. Jayasumana warned the public of dire consequences unless they rushed to the nearest vaccination centre and obtained the jab.
The public shouldn’t be lulled into a false sense of security by the gradual drop in the number of Covid-19 deaths over the past few weeks, the Anuradhapura District MP said, reiterating the need for the public to receive the booster as quickly as possible.
The minister said that 46,866 persons received the booster on January 11. They were followed by 74,382 (Jan. 12), 66,952 (Jan. 13), 44,553 (Jan.14) 49,798 (Jan. 15), 39,163 (Jan. 16) and 23,717 (Jan. 17).
Responding to another query, Prof. Jayasumana acknowledged that those who had been working overtime to undermine the vaccination drive appeared to have succeeded in influencing the public, especially through social media and by word of mouth.
Prof. Jayasumana pointed out that Sri Lanka was able to handle the Covid-19 threat much better thanks to a well-organised vaccination drive involving both civilian and the military. “Now, our challenge is to convince the people to receive the booster,” Prof. Jayasumana said.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Tuesday (18) told Parliament that they were able to resume normal community life having vaccinated more than 85% of the targeted population. At the moment, the administering of the booster vaccination targeting the entire population was continuing, the President said in his policy speech, third since the last presidential election.
The first and second doses administered were the Sinopharm, Sputnik V, Moderna, Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines.
Recalling the difficulties experienced due to an unexpected Covid-19 eruption in India in early 2020 that disrupted promised supplies of AstraZeneca, Prof. Jayasumana said the government was able to somehow procure vaccines. “We have achieved protection to a certain degree with two doses but the booster dose is of critical importance,” Prof. Jayasumana said.
Appreciating the support provided by various countries as well as international organisations to sustain a costly vaccination roll-out at a time the country was experiencing grave difficulties, the State Minister urged the public not to miss this opportunity. Another eruption due to public indifference could deliver a debilitating setback to our recovery efforts, the State Minister warned, asserting that the epidemic still posed quite a threat. “The vaccination is the only available remedy. Therefore, regardless of scare stories propagated by interested parties and some seeking legal interventions meant to hinder the vaccination process.
Asked when the 16-19 age category would be given the second dose, Prof. Jayasumana said that the roll-out was scheduled to commence after January 20. The State Minister pointed out that as the inoculation of the 16-19 age group began on Oct 20, the second dose could be given after a lapse of three months. Pfizer-BioNTech is used to inoculate this particular age group.
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
