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Speaker recalls Turkey’s prompt recognition of Lanka’s Independence
Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywar-dena said that Turkey was one of the first countries to recognize Sri Lanka after its independence and ever since Turkey had stood by Sri Lankans in many exigency situations.
The Speaker was grateful to Turkey for medical donations dispatched to Sri Lanka recently to fight the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Speaker said this at the Sri Lanka – Turkey Parliamentary Friendship Association meeting held in Parliament recently. Rakibe Demet Sekercioglu, Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey to Sri Lanka and several Cabinet Ministers, State Ministers and Members of Parliament were present at the meeting.
State Minister Susil Premajayantha, was appointed as the President of the Sri Lanka – Turkey Parliamentary Friendship Association and Parliamentarians J. C. Alawathuwala, Rishad Bathiudeen, and Mohamed Muzammil were appointed as the Vice Presidents of the Association.
MP Harshana Rajakaruna was appointed as the Secretary and MP Ishak Rahuman, was appointed as the Treasurer.
Before the election of the officer-bearers of the Sri Lanka – Turkey Parliamentary Friendship Association the Speaker made the welcome speech.
Speaker Abeywardena said: “On behalf of the Parliament of Sri Lanka, I warmly welcome this distinguished gathering present here today at this meeting to revive the Sri Lanka – Turkey Parliamentary Friendship Association for the 9th Parliament.
Sri Lanka and Turkey relations have a deep history dating back to the 19th century and the ties have been further strengthened and consolidated subsequent to the opening of resident diplomatic representations of the two countries: in Ankara in 2012 and in Colombo in 2013.
Sri Lanka – Turkey relations expanded to Trade, Economic, Defence, Tourism and Educational cooperation and currently enjoy extremely friendly and brotherly relations which continue to flourish and strengthen day-by-day.
I must not forget to mention here that Sri Lankans always admire friendship of Turkey as a true friend and Turkey stood by Sri Lankans in many exigency situations. With much gratitude, we remember that President Recep Erdogan, when he was Prime Minister in 2005 visited Sri Lanka after the tsunami in 2004 and gifted a housing settlement in “Midigama”, South of Sri Lanka for the families affected by the disaster.
Sri Lanka and Turkey have also worked closely in various international fora including at the United Nations in relation to Counter Terrorism Conventions. Although the two countries have already strengthened Economic and technical cooperation with each other by signing several agreements, I believe that there is still much room for enhancement of bilateral cooperation.
At the conclusion, I wish the success for future activities of this Association, and hope that the Sri Lanka – Turkey Parliamentary Friendship Association will further enhance the cordial relationship that exists between our two countries for many decades to come.’’
MPs Lasantha Alagiyawanna, Dayasiri Jayasekara, Vijitha Berugoda, Mayadunna Chinthaka Amal, A. Aravindh Kumar, Ashok Abeysinghe, Sivagnanam Shritharan, Chandima Weerakkody, S.M.M. Muszhaaraff, A.L.M. Athaullah, Charles Nirmalanathan, Imthiaz Bakeer Markar, Ali Sabri Raheem, W.H.M. Dharmasena, Velu Kumar, Niroshan Perera and Yadamini Gunawardena participated in the meeting.
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
