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Treasury blamed for missing paddy stocks worth Rs 1.3 bn
United Rice Producers Association urges Prez to punish culprits
By Shamindra Ferdinando
The United Rice Producers Association (URPA) alleges that paddy stocks worth Rs 1.3 bn procured by the government in 2019/2020 Maha, 2020 Yala, 2020/2021 Maha and 2021 Yala seasons have not been accounted for.
URPA President W. D. K. Muditha Perera has, in a letter dated January 05, informed President Ranil Wickremesinghe that the paddy stocks at issue were to be sold through Sathosa outlets after being milled by small time operators. However, those plans never materialised, Perera has said, adding as much as 5,800,000 kilos of paddy went unaccounted for.
Muditha Perera told The Island that he had copied the letter to the Chairmen of the parliamentary watchdogs, COPE, COPA and COPF, Auditor General, Chairperson, CIABOC, Director, CID, and Secretaries to Finance, Public Administration and Agriculture.
The URPA has disclosed how government officials, at every level responsible for the implementation of the project in the Polonnaruwa, Puttalam and Trincomalee districts, sold some stocks to the private sector, thereby depriving the consumers of an opportunity to purchase rice from Sathosa, at an affordable price. According to Muditha Perera, stocks of paddy, procured at Rs 50-55 per kilo, could have been easily sold at less than Rs 100.
The trade unionist pointed out that even when a kilo of rice went up to Rs 250 – Rs 300 in June last year, the Divisional Secretaries refrained from releasing stocks available with them.
Muditha Perera found fault with the Finance Ministry for failing to supervise the overall implementation of the project. Having released the required funds for the paddy purchasing scheme, the Finance Ministry couldn’t have turned a blind eye to what was going on in the paddy producing regions.
The then Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa served as the Finance Minister, from Nov. 2019 to June 2021. Basil Rajapaksa succeeded him in June and was dropped from the Cabinet of Ministers in April 2022. Ali Sabry, PC, held the finance portfolio for several weeks before Ranil Wickremesinghe succeeded Sabry in late May 2022.
S.R. Attygalle served as the Finance Secretary.
Muditha Perera said that Polonnaruwa District Secretary, though being informed of corruption and manipulation of the entire process of Dec 03, 2020, quite conveniently failed to take remedial measures. Accusing the District Secretary of allowing the racket to continue for two years, Muditha Perera said that the Director, Agriculture, Polonnaruwa, suppressed information sought in terms of the Right to Information Act.
Muditha Perera alleged that major millers had benefited from the racket.
According to him, Polonnaruwa District Secretary, for two years delayed responding to his Association’s right to information query whereas Puttalam Divisional Secretary was still trying to sidestep the issue.
Muditha Perera said that the government could have averted massive losses if the Finance Ministry acted in the wake of SJB MP Dr. Harsha de Silva’s disclosure of the fraudulent activities in the scheme. The revelation was made during the budget debate on Dec 04, 2020, Muditha Perera said.
The Association alleged that the entire process had been corrupt and, in spite of the issue being raised in Parliament, those responsible allowed the Polonnaruwa, Puttalam and Trincomalee state administration to rob the Treasury and deny those struggling to make ends meet, rice at an affordable price.
Referring to media reports regarding donation of rice from China, India, Myanmar and even Tamil Nadu and significant imports at a time the country experienced a severe balance of payments crisis, Muditha Perera alleged the government allowed corrupt officials a free hand.
“We should be ashamed of ourselves,” Muditha Perera said, asserting that bigger frauds seemed to be encouraged by the powers that be.
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
