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SL wouldn’t have been in this mess if IMF conditions had been complied with – State FM
By Shamindra Ferdinanado
State Finance Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya has said that Sri Lanka wouldn’t have ended up being bankrupt if previous governments had adhered to agreements with the International Monetary (IMF).
Reiterating that the country is experiencing the worst ever economic crisis, lawmaker Siyambalapitiya warned that the government would be under IMF scrutiny this time around.
Appearing on weekly Hiru political programme Salakuna on Monday (26), the Kegalle District MP, who had previously served as State Finance Minister during Mahinda Rajapaksa’s tenure as the President, said that successive governments hadn’t been honest with the IMF. “We conveniently forgot what was promised to the IMF after having received a couple of tranches,” MP Siyambalapitiya said adding that the IMF would be alert now.
The State Finance Minister said that the first tranche amounting to USD 400 mn was expected in January 2023. The SLFPer emphasised that the financial mess couldn’t be settled with the USD 2.9 bn received from the IMF over a period of four years. However, the agreement with the IMF would restore the foreign governments’ faith in Sri Lanka, the State Minister mentioned.
Pointing out that Sri Lanka had received IMF loans on 16 previous occasions and the recently finalised Staf- Level agreement would lead to the 17th loan facility, MP Siyambalapitiya said that he signed the 15th agreement on behalf of Sri Lanka.
Responding to Hiru anchor Chamuditha Samarawickrema’s query whether economic crimes had been perpetrated as referred to by the United Nations Human Rights Commissioner’s latest report on Sri Lanka, lawmaker Siyambalapitiya said that there were no such crimes here. Therefore, the Geneva statement was not applicable to Sri Lanka. But, when Samarawickrema pressed the Minister on the accountability on the part of former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s government for the economic fallout, the lawmaker acknowledged the wrongdoing on their part.
Commenting on former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s government depriving the Treasury of over Rs 500 bn by implementing a wide tax cut, soon after the last presidential election, State Minister Siyambalapitiya faulted those who advised the President on economic matters. The State Minister said that the economy was handled by Presidents and Ministers who didn’t know the subject. When Samarawickrema pointed out that the former President was advised by Dr. P.B. Jayasundera, MP Siyambalapitiya said that he didn’t know that. Subsequently, MP Siyambalapitiya acknowledged the role played by Dr. PBJ, who then functioned as Secretary to the President, and previously as Secretary to the Treasury.
During an heated exchange, the State Finance Minister said that the then government reduced the number of tax files from 1.5 mn to 400,000 and the number registered taxpayers from 1.7 mn to 500,000. The MP said that the country was in a pathetic state today as successive governments followed wrong economic policies. The Covid-19 eruption in 2020 and external factors, too, contributed to the overall deterioration of the situation, the MP said.
In spite of clear indications that the country was heading for an unprecedented crisis, the powers that be steadfastly refused to seek IMF interventions. Instead, they continued the same harmful policies.
Asked whether as the State Finance Minister he felt the need to inquire into those responsible for the economic crisis, the MP said “Geneva was conducting investigations.” Samarawickrema asked why Geneva should be placed in charge of such an investigation when the responsibility lies with Sri Lanka. The Minister said: “I won’t hand over investigations to Geneva. I acknowledge the policies followed by successive governments were utterly wrong.
State Minister Siyambalapitiya also explained actions taken by him to explore ways and means of recovering losses suffered by the Treasury as a result of reduction of duty on a kilo of imported sugar from Rs 50 to 25 cents on Oct 13, 2020. The Minister said that Sri Lanka lacked laws to deal with those who perpetrated the sugar scam, adding that one of the sugar importers immensely benefited from the duty reduction.
State Minister Siyambalapitiya strongly defended his decision to accept ministerial portfolio, regardless of specific instructions from party leader Maithripala Sirisena not to do so.
Dismissing accusations that he switched allegiance to President Ranil Wickremesinghe for personal benefit, lawmaker Siyambalapitiya said that some of them accepted portfolios, as the Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB), the JVP and others would never have joined the government. They always feared the consequences of President Wickremesinghe overcoming the crisis, MP Siyambalapitiya said.
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
