News
SLPP rebels vow to scuttle New Fortress deal
By Sirimantha Rathnasekera and Pradeep Prasanna Samarakoon
No one should abuse the mandate that 6.9 million people had given to Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Minister of Industries Wimal Weerawansa said yesterday, addressing the media at Pita-Kotte, together with the representatives of constituents of the ruling SLPP coalition.
Weerawansa added that they would do whatever it took to ensure that the aspirations of the people were met.
“The Cabinet paper authorising New Fortress company to supply LNG was not discussed at the Cabinet. We are against this deal because we are ministers, and can’t ignore our conscience,” Weerawansa said.
The Minister added that although Gotabaya Rajapaksa was the President, others were misusing his mandate to their advantage. “I don’t know whether Dullas Alhapperuma lost the Ministry of Power portfolio because he was considered an obstacle to the New Fortress deal. But there is a reason for us to think so. According to the agreement, we will have to purchase LNG from the US company and pay for gas whether we use it or not.”
Minister Weerawansa added that the government had been elected for five years, and it was not possible to support an agreement beneficial to a nation that had been an enemy of Sri Lanka. “There are two other agreements signed with New Fortress Energy and the country has to be ready to oppose them too,” he said.
“We don’t want to topple the government or bring the Opposition to power.
We want the government to act in accordance with the mandate given by the people,” Minister Weerawansa said.
Leader of the Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (PHU) Minister Udaya Gammanpila said that the agreement with the US energy company was highly problematic.
“This is a company that did not bid for supplying LNG. For the first time in Sri Lankan history a company that didn’t take part in the tender process has won a contract. This did not happen even under the governments of JR, Premadasa, CBK or Ranil Wickremesinghe.”
Minister Gammanpila said that the energy security and sovereignty of the country would be undermined by the agreement.
“The US said that it would impose sanctions on the country if we did not punish our war heroes or agree to federalism. Now, we are enabling the US to control one-third of our energy needs. What if the US turns off the power and demands that we punish our war heroes or make a federal Constitution? There is the real danger,” he said.
Minister Gammanpila added that the agreement at issue would also ruin the prospect of extracting natural gas off Sri Lanka’s shores.
“This will also lead to a diplomatic crisis. Chinese and Pakistani companies too have made bids. But we have given the tender to a complete outsider. We have chosen to embrace an enemy. This is a serious problem. We will lose our good friends.”
State Minister Dayasiri Jayasekera, representing the SLPP, said that all patriotic forces were against the agreement with New Fortress Energy.
Leaders of constituents including Vasudewa Nanayakkara, Ven. Aturaliye Ratana Thera, ALM Ataulla, Tiran Alles, Dr W. Weerasinghe and Gevindu Kumaratunga were also present.
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
