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Ten constituent parties of govt. urge President to lock down country

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By Rathindra Kuruwita

Leaders of 10 constituent parties of the government yesterday asked the President to lockdown the country for three weeks and establish an all-party mechanism to tackle the pandemic, given that it is a national disaster.

They claimed that it would take another six months to see the results of vaccination and there was a possibility of Sri Lanka becoming a graveyard until most Sri Lankans were vaccinated. They have also presented the President with a number of proposals to tackle the pandemic.

Ven. Athuraliya Rathana Thera (Ape Jana Bala Party), Minister Vasudeva Nanayakkara (Democratic Left Front,) Prof. Tissa Vitharana (Lanka Sama Samaja Party), Minister Wimal Weerawansa (National Freedom Front), Minister Udaya Gammanpila (Pivithuru Hela Urumaya), A. L. M. Athaullah (National Congress), Tiran Alles (Mahajana Eksath Peramuna), Dr. G. Weerasinghe (Sri Lanka Communist Party), Asanka Nawaratne (Sri Lanka Mahajana Party) and Gevindu Kumaratunga (Yuthukama National Organization) are signatories to the letter.

“We need at least six weeks to inoculate those over 18. It will take another month to ensure that they get the second dose. Until we pass that vital threshold, there is a possibility of the country becoming a grave yard. This is obvious when we look at the WHO projections for the country if we continue as usual,” they said.

The political party leaders have said that they are sensitive to the economic challenges faced by the country and the impact a three-week lockdown can have on the economy.

“However, it is also obvious that the health system will collapse unless we lock down the country for at least three weeks. The people now live in fear and therefore although the country is officially open, a lot of economic activities have come to a standstill. Once we lock down the country and get things under control, people will be more willing to go out and engage in economic activity,” they said.

The SLPP constituents have said the pandemic is a national disaster and an all-party mechanism should be implemented to tackle the crisis. This committee must include health and economic experts.

“The people need to trust the government but as the media has revealed, and we have clarified this, there are serious discrepancies in COVID-19 data. It is silly to think that we can tackle a pandemic by manipulating the numbers. The government must punish everyone that is responsible for his data manipulation.”

The party leaders have also asked the President to call in retired doctors, and medical students to vaccinate people. Various grassroots clinics too can be used for inoculation, they said.

They also urged the President to establish grassroots committees, consisting religious leaders, elected officials and civil society leaders to monitor the progress of various activities that have been implemented.



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US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development

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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.”

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Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees

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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.

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CIPM successfully concludes 8th Annual Symposium

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Left to right, Prof. Arosha Adikaram - Chairperson of the Symposium, UAC Obeyesekere – Chief Executive Officer, CIPM Sri Lanka, Guest of Honor - Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer, MAS Holdings PVT Ltd., Sri Lanka, Ken Vijayakumar, President, CIPM Sri Lanka, Priyantha Ranasinghe,Vice President, CIPM Sri Lanka, Col. Saman Jayawickrama (Retd) – Secretary, CIPM Sri Lanka, Dr Dilanjalee Weerathunga – Co Chairperson of the Symposium

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.

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