News
Rebel ministers expected to present alternative plan
Economic crisis:
Gammanpila says Cabinet ignored warning given on 15 Feb. last year
by Shamindra Ferdinando
A section of the SLPP-led ruling coalition is planning to unveil an alternative plan on 02 March spelling out how to overcome the current financial crisis.
Among the 11 parties that have pledged to join the group are the SLFP with 14 members in Parliament, the National Freedom Front (NFF) and the Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (PHU) with six and one member, respectively. The grouping comprises about 25 lawmakers.
Political sources said that those who backed Ministers Vasudeva Nanayakkara, Wimal Weerawansa and Udaya Gammanpila resorting to legal action against the Yugadanavi deal now before the Supreme Court, were behind the latest move as well. They are in the process of finalising the set of proposals against the backdrop of simmering disagreements with the SLPP leadership.
The SLFP backed the court action but refrained from joining the dissident ministers in filing fundamental rights violation petitions against the agreement with the US-based New Fortress Energy.
Addressing the PHU gathering at Avissawella on Sunday (20), Energy Minister Gammanpila said that they were ready to present a strategy. The former JHU stalwart said that the country wouldn’t have been in this mess if the cabinet of ministers took his advice serious. According to him, the warning was issued over a year ago on Feb 15 as regards the impending fuel shortages. The Minister said that he subsequently announced the imminent crisis when deficit in USD was announced on June 12, 2021 in response to SLPP General Secretary and Attorney-at-Law Sagara Kariyawasam’s criticism in the wake of him announcing the revision of fuel prices.
“Instead of taking remedial measures, a section of the SLPP lambasted me”, Minister Gammanpila said, squarely placing the blame on the SLPP for the unprecedented crisis.
Minister Gammanpila revealed that again he and Trade Minister Bandula Gunawardena warned the government parliamentary group of the extremely dicey situation on July 17, 2021 at a meeting held at the President’s House. The Colombo District lawmaker said that when they pointed out the urgent need to take the public into confidence, a minister declared that the issue would be settled in just weeks. Refusing to name the minister concerned under any circumstances, Gammanpila quoted his ministerial colleague as having declared that the USD crisis was due to fraud committed by officers of two major state-owned banks. The parliamentary group cheered the minister thereby the issues raised by him and Minister Gunawardena were suppressed, MP Gammanpila said.
Minister Gammanpila said that the banking setup lacked the financial strength to meet the USD demand to procure fuel. The minister disclosed that recently a ship that had been compelled to wait 11 days in local waters to discharge fuel threatened to leave unless the government made the payment.
Minister Gammanpila said that the crisis hadn’t been caused by the current dispensation. Successive governments that had spent extravagantly much more than the foreign earnings should take the blame for the current turmoil.
The country was paying a huge price for uncontrolled expenditure over the past several decades and their group within the government would strive to change the direction of the government.
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
