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Professionals warn Lanka not to be lulled into complacency over US withdrawal of MCC
By Rathindra Kuruwita
The United States and its allies would not halt their attempts to secure a foothold in Sri Lanka although the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Compact had been discontinued and that the decision was a strategic one to lull Sri Lankan public into complacency, professional and civil society organizations yesterday warned.
General Secretary of the Professionals’ National Front (PNF), Engineer Kapila Perera said that the MCC compact was not a grant, but a part of the Indo-Pacific strategy pushed by the US and India.
Perera said: “The MCC is part of their strategy to use Sri Lanka and other nations for military and strategic purposes.
The MCC compact does not stand alone but it should be taken with Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) and, Acquisition and Cross Servicing Agreement (ACSA).’
Perera said that PNF and other patriotic forces had identified the danger posed by the MCC and the public too understood the peril the country faced.
“The committee appointed by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa also came to the same conclusions we did. We are grateful for the stance this committee took.”
Dr. Samantha Ananda, senior vice chairman of the PNF said that the US and its allies would not give up their attempts to secure a foothold here. He added that there might be plans afoot to achieve the objectives of MCC, i.e. securing the Trincomalee harbour and obtaining data about Sri Lanka’s land, by other means.
Ananda said: “This is not over. The US and its allies have not been defeated. Politicians and officials will knowingly or unknowingly try to push imperialist agendas. We must be weary and be ready.”
The Movement for Land and Agricultural Reform (MONLAR) too warned that although the MCC Compact was no more, the land reforms attempted to meet advance the imperialist agenda were being slowly implemented by the incumbent government.
MONLAR Moderator, Chinthaka Rajapakshe said that relaxing land laws and creating large swathes of land available for foreign investors was an underlying objective of the MCC compact.
“The government has been slowly attempting to relax land laws. For example the decision to hand over the control of ‘other state forest lands’ to Divisional Secretaries and opening lands to large scale commercial agriculture are a part of a larger design. This is not something that started with Gotabaya started; nor will it end with him. Successive governments have promoted imperialist ideology and the only thing that has stopped them is public outrage. We must remain vigilant because trouble is not over.”
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
