News
SJB alleges section of govt. raising funds for next presidential election
Latest sugar tax scam:
‘IMF’s conditions disregard regardless of suspension of bailout package’
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Top SJB spokesman Mujibur Rahman yesterday (12) alleged that a section of the Wickremesinghe-Rajapaksa government seemed to be raising funds for the presidential election scheduled for next year.The former SJB MP said that a well-organised operation was underway to raise funds at the expense of the country.
Rahman told The Island that the recent increase in the Special Commodity Levy (SCL) imposed on imported white sugar had been raised from 25 cents to Rs 50 a kilo immediately after the clearing of 8,500 metric tonnes of sugar from the Colombo Port indicated that the government was busy raising campaign funds.
However, Saman Ratnapriya, President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s Director General of Trade Unions last week claimed that only 520 metric tonnes had been imported immediately before the government effected an increase of SCL from 25 cents to Rs 50.
Rahman said that such a fraud couldn’t have been carried out without the blessings of the powers that be. Rahman compared the loss of Rs 1.6 bn revenue as a result of the mega sugar tax scam perpetrated in late 2020 by the Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s government.
Responding to another query, Rahman stressed that the government seemed to have simply ignored the IMF’s recent advice regarding the urgent need to enhance public sector revenue. “They have quite conveniently forgotten the suspension of the IMF’s USD 2.9 bn bailout package pending tangible actions on its demands,” Rahman said, urging relevant parliamentary watchdog committees to inquire into the latest sugar scam.
In terms of the agreement reached with the IMF in March this year, Sri Lanka was to receive funds in eight equal tranches, Rahman said.The former MP pointed out the responsibility on the part of the parliament to ensure action was taken on sugar scams perpetrated in 2020 and this year as the culprits could be the same.
The one-time parliamentarian said that regardless of assurances given by the government, the Finance Ministry was yet to recover the losses suffered as a result of the 2020 fraud.
Rahman urged professionals to take up this issue as the government burdened the public with additional taxes whereas the unscrupulous elements made massive profits overnight.
“We expect the IMF and other lending agencies as well as major bilateral lenders to take up the contentious issue of corruption with this government,” Rahman said, pointing out the government revised the SCL just two weeks ahead of the presenting of 2024 budget.
Rahman said that the Cabinet-of-Ministers owed an explanation regarding the sugar tax scam as one of them namely Labour and Foreign Employment Minister Manusha Nanayakkara is on record as having alleged the powers that be alerted the sugar importers of the impending revision. The relevant parliamentary watchdog committee could ask Minister Nanayakkara to justify his declaration, Rahman said, requesting the Election Commission to take note of their concerns.
“What is the point of enacting laws to control campaign funds when the government in power raises money for elections at the expense of the national economy,” Rahman said.
The ex-MP said that the government suffered a loss of Rs 422 mn due the latest scam. Alleging that a former minister, too, had been involved in the current episode, Rahman said that the Yahapalana government collapsed as a result of corruption at the highest level.
Rahman said that successive governments had ignored the Auditor Generals’ reports which shed light on public sector corruption. Had there been laid down procedures to deal with disclosures made by the AG, the country wouldn’t have been in the current financial mess.
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
