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Subdued Christmas awaits crisis-hit Sri Lankans
High inflation and cost of living stemming from ongoing economic crisis have dampened Christmas celebrations
(UCAN) For Nirmala Fernando, this year’s Christmas is quite different from the chaotic previous year, when millions in Sri Lanka stood in kilometers-long lines to buy essential goods such as cooking gas, milk powder, and fuel.
“There was an acute shortage last year. But this year, we have little money and everything is expensive. We cannot buy much,” the mother of two told UCA News as she did her Christmas shopping in Pettah, a market area in Colombo.
Every year, the family used to invite their relatives for Christmas dinner, but not this year considering the expenses. Her husband, a contractor in the construction industry, is the breadwinner of the family along with her in-laws.
“We limited our Christmas shopping with some gifts for the kids and other essential goods. We fear prices will go up further in January next year with more taxes,” she said.
Like Fernando, for thousands of Catholic families, this year’s Christmas is a low-key affair due to ongoing economic hardships.
After the country declared bankruptcy on its foreign loans last April, the government of President Ranil Wickremesinghe decided to go for an International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout package.
His predecessor Gotabaya Rajapaksa was forced to flee the country in July 2022 following nationwide protests after an unprecedented economic crisis hit the country since 2019.
The crisis continues with high inflation and a near depletion of foreign exchange reserves, making essential commodities expensive.As part of the US$ 2.7 billion IMF bailout package, the second tranche of US$ 337 million, was approved on Dec. 14.
Just hours before the approval, the Sri Lankan Parliament approved the annual budget by majority votes, which included a tax hike from 15 percent to 18 percent on goods, and scrapped tax amnesty given to all other products as required by IMF to increase local revenues.
The new tax scheme which includes tax on locally manufactured products will come into effect from January 1. Many fear that the prices of goods, particularly imported items will go further up once the new taxes come into effect.
At the bustling retail market of Pettah in Colombo where it used to glow with seasonal decorations and Christmas trees throughout the city in the past, the festival mood is slow to pick up despite government initiatives to promote the tourism industry.
People are slow to spend because of unprecedented price hikes, higher taxes, and fluctuating inflation, business owners say.
“Not many people are buying Christmas or seasonal goods these days compared to previous years. People don’t have extra money on their hands. They prioritize buying essential items,” said S. Manoharan, a retail businessman in Pettah.
He sells Christmas trees, decoration balls, fairy lights, and Santa hats The price of onions spiked to a staggering 550 rupees (US$1.71) per kilogram after the tax hike was announced, he pointed out.
Local media reports suggest that even eggs are short of supplies during the Christmas and New Year holidays, prompting the government to place an import order of 15 million eggs from India.Sri Lanka’s poultry industry collapsed last year. The price of one piece of egg climbed to 65 rupees in recent weeks.
The price hike of ingredients has pushed up the price of cakes. Many families are unable to afford butter and chocolate cakes during this festive season which are now being sold at 1,350 rupees per kilogram.
A Christmas wreath is sold for around 700 rupees and starting prices of plastic-made two-feet Christmas trees are at 8,000 rupees.
“Considering the unaffordability of the people, we have introduced discounts for some of the decoration items for up to twenty percent, but we don’t see much enthusiasm among the public in buying them,” Manoharan said.
“Many do visit the shops but leave after inquiring about prices,” he lamented.
In the Tamil minority heartland of northern Sri Lanka, the Christmas mood has not yet picked up due to heavy rain and flooding across the region in the past few days.
Many affected families, who took shelter in temporary evacuation centers and at the homes of relatives, have not returned home yet.
The severe economic hardships due to the increased tax burden and cost of living explain why many people are planning to celebrate Christmas and New Year modestly, said Father Anthonypillai Gnanapragasam, the administrator of the popular Our Lady of Madhu Catholic shrine in Mannar, Northern Province.
“Whatever the difficulties they find themselves in, as Jesus Christ showed to us to be fulfilled and hopeful during these difficult times. I believe people will mark the season with simple joy and be kind to each other more,” Gnanapragasam told UCA News.
“After all, the difficulties and hardships are not something new for folks here as they lived through the war period and came out of it with the support of their religious faith. I hope they will come out from the current economic challenges too soon,” he 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
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