News
State sector reforms: Herath endorses Ranil’s agenda
…questions mysterious cancellation of Japanese-funded LRT project
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Ruling party rebel lawmaker Prof. Charitha Herath says that the cancellation of the Japanese funded USD 1.5 bn light rail transit (LRT) project remains a mystery.
The SLPP National List MP told The Island yesterday (17) that his efforts, in his former capacity as Chairman of the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) to unravel the truth, failed.
The MP noted that the fund allocation for this, on a soft loan, was even bigger than that of the Chinese flagship project, namely the Colombo Port City.
Sri Lanka suspended the project in September 2020, just weeks after the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) won a near 2/3 majority at the general election.
“We should at least now set the record straight. The need for re-examination of the unilateral decision that jeopardized Sri Lanka’s relations with Japan cannot be ignored, the MP said.
Responding to another query, Prof. Herath said that he dealt with the issue at hand in Parliament during the three-day debate on President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s policy statement.
Addressing Parliament, on the second day of the debate, Prof. Herath pointed out that not only President Wickremesinge lambasted the previous government over the cancellation of the Japanese project, he faulted President Gotabaya Rajapaksa economic policy and Basil Rajapaksa’s 2022 budget.
In addition to the LRT project, Sri Lanka cancelled joint development of the East Container Terminal (ECT) with India and Japan.
Prof. Herath said in Parliament that the SLPP had no option but to accept President Wickremesinghe criticism pertaining to the LRT and other cancelled projects. Lawmaker Herath questioned whether the decision to cancel the Japanese project was taken at Cabinet level, at a meeting chaired by the then President Gotabaya Rajapaksa or somewhere else.
Prof. Herath said that mysterious things happened in the decision-making process.
Referring to the then Presidential Secretary Dr. P.B. Jayasundera, lawmaker Hearth said that the person who informed the relevant parties of the decision was silent on this particular issue.
Soon after the cancellation, Reuters quoted the Transport Secretary, Monti Ranatunga, as having said that the project was on temporary hold because of foreign exchange difficulties we were facing now and some other projects have also been temporarily halted.
The LRT was to connect Malabe, Battaramulla, Rajagiriya, Borella and Fort/ Pettah. The system comprised 16 stations and one depot at Malabe terminal. The SLPP should made its position clear whether it accepted President Wickremesinghe harsh criticism as regards the economic policy. Having repeatedly denounced what he called the UNP/SJB’s ‘social market economy’, the current government was now pursuing the same under Wickremesinghe’s leadership.
Prof. Herath said that as an SLPP member he felt that a member of the same party should be appointed as the President to complete the remainder of Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s term. Prof. Herath said that he voted for Dullas Alahapperuma as he believed that the 6.9 mn vote mandate received by Gotabaya Rajapaksa is intact. But, a far bigger section of the SLPP decided that mandate was ‘dead’ and irrelevant therefore that group voted for Wickremesinghe, Prof. Herath said.
Prof. Herath said that some of the reforms, that had been proposed by President Wickremesinghe, should be implemented. State sector enterprises should be reformed, whatever the criticisms, the MP said, urging political parties ,represented in Parliament, and the public ,to recognize the urgent need to undertake reforms.
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
