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Sri Lankan expatriates seek US support
Sri Lankan expatriates – most of whom are professionals in the fields of investment, technology, global entertainment, gaming industry, public diplomacy and foreign affairs – in the State of Nevada, in the US continued their discourses with U.S. Senator Catherine Cotez Masto to facilitate Sri Lanka to move out of the current economic crisis.
Masto is one of the Washington lawmakers who is on pivotal Financial and Banking Committees which are entrusted with international trade, finance and economic policies, US-based sources said.
A two-hour dialogue, on October 8, between the officials of the State of Nevada-based Sri Lanka-America Association and Senator Cotez-Masto covered the areas of foreign affairs between the two nations, trade and economic issues among many other topics that concerned the Senator’s portfolio of economic policies.
Less than one year old, the Sri Lanka-America Chamber of Commerce, a nationally-focused organization, founded by the Sri Lankan expatriates, in the State of Nevada, to promote trade, commerce and investment between the two nations, attended the discourse with its Executive President Sanje Sedera.
Both the Association and the Chamber are constantly in contact with lawmakers and policymakers in Washington to bring a closer understanding between the two nations, to identify issues related to trade and investment.
The meeting that took place last week, with the U.S. Senator Cotez-Masto, was one such discourse.
The officials of the Association and the Chamber brought to the attention of Sri Lanka’s economic and humanitarian calamity focusing on better trade, commerce and investments between the two countries. The Senator explained the portfolio she has at two committees in the Senate. The Sri Lankan expatriates were aware of the Senator’s role in the two Banking and Financial Committees that could bring some opening for enhanced trade, commerce and investments in both nations.
The Chamber officials, a couple of months ago, met with two senior U.S. Treasury Department officials to discuss possible American investments in the newly emerging Colombo Port City-Economic Zone, and the discussion turned toward streamlining certain Sri Lankan Government regulations to remove some impediments the American investors face in their trade and investment attempts.
The officials of the Sri Lanka-America Association, in the State of Nevada, and the Sri Lanka-America Chamber of Commerce, had been discussing these issues with Washington lawmakers and policymakers one of whom was Senator Catherine Cotez-Masto, that the Sri Lankan expatriates met last week.
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
