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Sajith facing fresh probe over Yahapalana housing projects hits back at govt.
The Urban Development and Housing Ministry has launched an investigation into the housing projects conducted by Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) leader Sajith Premadasa during his tenure as the Housing Minister of the Yahapalana government (2015-2019).
Alleging that the then Deputy Leader of the UNP had distributed housing loans, etc., in violation of proper procedures, Urban Development and Housing Minister Prasanna Ranatunga recently directed the NHDA (National Housing Development Authority) to initiate an investigation.
A statement issued by the Ministry yesterday (17) quoted Urban Development and Housing Minister Prasanna Ranatunga as having said that the construction of 38,815 houses in 2,150 ‘reawakened villages’ hadn’t been completed. The Minister placed the number of houses his predecessor undertook to build during the Yahapalana administration at 42,610. According to the statement, the Minister has issued instructions to the NHDA to complete those houses.
According to Minister Ranatunga, who is also the Chief Government Whip, during President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s time, the government completed 2,795 unfinished projects in eight ‘reawakened villages.’ The Minister claimed that the Covid-19 epidemic prevented the government from completing more houses.
Minister Ranatunga faulted the SJB leader for distributing funds allocated for a particular village among several villages and favoured treatment to residents of the Hambantota district. Premadasa represents the Hambantota district.
SJB leader Sajith Premadasa said that the Wickremesinghe-Rajapaksa government couldn’t pull the wool over the eyes of the people by such silly attempts. Lawmaker Premadasa, who is also the leader of the Opposition, questioned why the Rajapaksa government waited so long to initiate an inquiry.
The SJB leader said so when The Island sought his response to Minister Ranatunga’s latest accusations. The SJB leader also said that the government made a desperate bid in Parliament to find fault with him over utilization of funds belonging to the Central Cultural Fund.
The way the government had protected Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) after the National Audit Office exposed the sordid operations of the SLC’s top management proved the hopeless situation the country was in, MP Premadasa said. The Opposition Leader said that he was being targeted for taking up issues at hand, both in and outside Parliament.
Minister Ranatunga said that in addition to the 38,815 unfinished houses during Premadasa’s time, there were 98,000 uncompleted houses. The Minister said that Rs 24,000 mn was required to complete 98,000 houses. The Gampaha District lawmaker has asked the NHDA to prepare a suitable plan to raise funds required to complete the project (SF)
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
