News
Weerasekera alone refuses to abandon China ship
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Former Public Security Minister, Rear Admiral (ret.) Sarath Weerasekera, has taken exception to the withdrawal of permission granted to Chinese research vessel Yuang Wang 5 to visit Hambantota port for refueling.
Sri Lanka, in 2017, leased Hambantota harbour to China for 99 years.
The ex-Navy Chief of Staff has raised the issue at hand at the government group meeting, chaired by President Ranil Wickremesinghe, on Monday (08) at the Presidential Secretariat.
Among those present at the group meeting were Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena and former PM and MP Mahinda Rajapaksa.
Lawmaker Weerasekera has explained that it wouldn’t be fair to rescind approval at the behest of India after having given the Chinese go ahead on July 12.
Prof. G.L. Peiris had served as the Foreign Affairs Minister at the time the Foreign Ministry granted approval for the vessel to visit Hambantota port.
Since then new President Ranil Wickremesinghe has sworn in Ali Sabry, PC, as the foreign affairs minister after Prof. Peiris chose to join the SLPP rebel group.
Sabry, who held justice and finance portfolios under the then President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, has explained the developments relating to the Chinese ship visit scheduled for Aug 11.
Declaring that the proposed visit was a routine one and posed no threat at all, Colombo District lawmaker Weerasekera alleged that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had to pay a very heavy price by depending on the US and India.
Except for SLFP MP Dr. Suren Raghavan, who asked for deferment of the visit, other members of the government group had been silent, sources said.
MP Weerasekera has warned that China would be furious with Sri Lanka not with India over the ship controversy.
The naval veteran has also referred to joint military exercises conducted with the US and India over a period of time.
Rebel SLPP members hadn’t participated at the group meeting. However, the National Freedom Front (NFF) has issued a statement strongly condemning the government over its response to Indian pressure.
The MP has queried the Indian intervention in the wake of Chinese Ambassador in Colombo Qi Zhenhong taking it up with President Wickremesinghe.
China throughout the war backed Sri Lanka regardless of change of governments. After the successful conclusion of the war in May 2009, Sri Lanka received Chinese support at the Geneva-based United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) where Western powers continuously undermined war winning Sri Lanka.
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
