News
Udaya slams SLPP Gen. Secy. for demanding his resignation over fuel price hikes
… questions Kariyawasam’s agenda: President sets the record straight
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Energy Minister Udaya Gammanpila yesterday (13) told a hastily arranged media briefing at his Ministry that the economy was in such bad shape that the government couldn’t have further delayed the upward revision of fuel prices.
Attorney-at-law Gammanpila revealed that the Central Bank in a missive dated May 31 strongly advised the Treasury to increase fuel prices or face the consequences.
Minister Gammanpila, who is also the leader of Pivithuru Hela Urumaya emphasized that Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, in his capacity as the Finance Minister, authorized the price increase.
Minister Gammanpila said so in response to SLPP General Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam’s scathing attack on him over the price increase.
Kariyawasam, in a statement issued on behalf of the SLPP, questioned Minister Gammanpila’s motives. The National List MP went to the extent of questioning whether Minister Gammanpila pursued a hidden agenda to undermine the SLPP and its leadership.
Soon after the conclusion of Minister Udaya Gammanpila’s media briefing yesterday, the Presidential Secretariat issued a statement explaining the circumstances leading to the fuel price hike. The statement essentially endorsed the views expressed by Minister Gammanpila at the briefing.
The Presidential Secretariat explained that the primary reason for the price hike was that the CPC owed a staggering Rs 652 to the Bank of Ceylon and the People’s Bank whereas the CEB owed Rs 85 bn to the same banks.
Minister Gammanpila told the media that if Kariyawasam issued a statement in his capacity as an MP, he would have ignored it. However, the issues raised on behalf of the SLPP couldn’t be disregarded, Minister Gammanpila said, revealing that he announced the price increase on June 11 in the wake of a committee chaired by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa deciding on the move on June 09.
According to Minister Gammanpila, the committee comprised President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, Trade Minister Bandula Gunawadena, Agriculture Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage, Power Minister Dullas Alahapperuma, Sports Minister Namal Rajapaksa and State Ministers Ajith Nivard Cabraal, Lasantha Alagiyawanna and himself.
Minister Gammanpila said that before he made the announcement Premier Mahinda Rajapaksa furnished written approval for the increase. Referring to MP Kariyawasam’s letter that demanded Minister Gammanpila’s immediate resignation over fuel price hike, the PHU leader emphasized that it was a government decision.
Gammanpila said that the SLPP General Secretary shouldn’t find fault with him for a collective decision taken by a committee headed by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Having explained the financial crisis that had been caused by growing losses due to underpricing of fuel, Minister Gammanpila claimed that he was able to prevent fuel price increases on three occasions by making representations to the Treasury since he became the Energy Minister. However, the Treasury had ruled out interventions in the current situation, Minister Gammanpila said, asserting that the accumulation of losses were a very heavy burden on the banking sector. Declaring that the Petroleum Corporation owed banks as much as over Rs 600 bn, Minister Gammanpila warned of possible collapse of the banking sector if remedial measures weren’t taken.
Responding to a query, Minister Gammanpila said that he volunteered to make the announcement at his expense as he wanted to save President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa. According to the PHU leader, State Minister Cabraal attended his media briefing as Finance Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa’s representative. Actually, MP Kariyawasam had lambasted the Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa by issuing a statement therefore the issue at hand was who should accept responsibility for wholly unnecessary development and resign.
MP Kariyawasam didn’t answer his mobile phone.
Claiming that SLPP leader Premier Mahinda Rajapaksa and its Chairman Prof. G.L. Peiris hadn’t been aware of Kariyawasam’s missive, Minister Gammanpila asked who gave the MP authority to issue such a statement.
Minister Gammanpila side-stepped query whether SLPP strategist Basil Rajapaksa was behind the move. A smiling Minister Gammanpila said that Basil Rajapaksa wasn’t behind him. The Minister wanted the media to raise it with lawmaker Kariyasawam.
Responding to another query, Minister Gammanpila questioned the rationale in Kariyawasam’s actions, while making reference to the SLPP General Secretary previously taking on National Freedom Front (NFF) leader Wimal Weerawansa in the wake of the latter urging the SLPP to accommodate President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in the decision making process of the party.
Minister Gammanpila said that five years ago the public didn’t know who Sagara Kariyawasam was. However, in the wake of Kariyawasam’s battle with Minister Weerawansa, people got to know him. “My mother, a retired principal, inquired from me who Sagara Kariyawasam was after he demanded Minister Weerawansa’s resignation,” lawmaker Gammanpila said.
Minister Gammanpila said that Kariyawasam’s objectives needed to be examined. The minister declined to reveal what President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Premier Mahinda Rajapaksa told him after SLPP General Secretary demanded his resignation.
Minister Gammanpila strongly defended the decision to increase fuel prices regardless of the difficulties experienced by the public.
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
