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Ranil says UNP can garner IMF support for immediate economic take-off
by Sanath Nanayakkare
A future UNP government could garner the support of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to raise funds to honour the country’s debt repayment commitments, without causing any disruption to the economy, UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe said, at Mattegoda, last Saturday (01).
“The IMF has helped the UNP governments in the past to resolve balance of payment issues and effectively restore Sri Lanka’s economy during dire times, including the Easter Sunday bomb attacks. I am confident that the international lender will provide its much needed support to a UNP government, with loans on affordable terms because it knows that we do not compromise our sound economic policies and revenue-based fiscal consolidation programmes.”
The UNP leader said: “Our priority will be mitigating the negative impact of Covid-19 on diverse segments of the economy; from three-wheeler drivers to wage-earning workforce to self-employed people and small and medium entrepreneurs. The Covid-19 public health crisis has weighed heavily on economic activity, employment and inflation and poses considerable risks to the economic outlook in the near-to-medium term. The level of economic activity has drastically slowed down as consumers fear for their future. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, about five million people have lost their jobs and a similar number of jobs are at risk. Thousands of people have experienced pay-cuts and reduction of their allowances. Employers are not hireing job seekers. Many people can’t pay their house rents, utility bills and payback their loans.
“Hence today everyone is thinking about their financial problems more than the parliamentary election because that’s very important to them. When I was Prime Minister I adopted a revenue-based fiscal consolidation strategy to increase government income at the risk of growing public displeasure. At that time, the government earned Rs 150,000 million as revenue. In July 2020, it declined to Rs. 50,000 million. Our public servants’ pensions alone require Rs. 90,000 million and the government had to borrow to meet pension payments among other things. How long can we go on like this?
“During the Yahapalana government, we struck a certain balance between our income and expenditure and obtained support from bilateral and multilateral lending agencies for economic development. In 2018/19 we were able to have a surplus in our primary account.
“Today, the country’s stressed external liquidity position remains a credit weakness. Sri Lanka has not been able to get IMF funds despite having made three requests to them. Pakistan and Bangladesh have received funds from the IMF, and there should be no reason why Sri Lanka can’t access their funds. The UNP has presented a new three-year economic framework to face the challenges in the future which would boost confidence of the international lending agencies in our macroeconomic prudence and post-pandemic recovery path going forward. International funding will help strengthen the rupee. More exports and foreign remittances will bring in more money into the country. Through that strategy we will put more money into consumers’ wallets and increase their spending power. If current liquidity issues continue, the exchange rate of the rupee will hover around Rs. 195-Rs. 200 by October. In such a context, there will be more severe import controls and smartphones, electric and electronic goods will not be available in the market. Commodity prices will go up and life will be more difficult six months from now. Our new economic programme is capable of addressing such fiscal and external challenges. I urge you to consider the looming threats of these issues as you go to cast your vote on August 5.”
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
