News
Women’s rights advocates reject debt restricting proposals and demand economic justice
Women’s rights groups in Sri Lanka have vehemently opposed the current debt restructuring proposals that unfairly place the responsibility of repayment on the nation’s working class, particularly its women. Addressing a press conference, several women’s organizations have called for immediate and sustainable solutions to the ongoing debt crisis in Sri Lanka, emphasizing the need for solutions that genuinely address the lived experiences, challenges, and requirements of the people.
Prominent lawyer and activist Lakmali Hemachandra expressed concern over the compromise of workers’ social security funds to service the debt of the world’s wealthiest income earners. Hemachandra emphasized that hardworking individuals in Sri Lanka are facing severe violations through domestic debt restructuring, leading to a loss of their financial security. The restructuring process is set to conclude in September, further endangering workers’ savings. Hemachandra urged the international community to acknowledge and condemn the alarming practice of using workers’ savings to repay creditors, highlighting the lack of genuine public support for such measures.
Juan Pablo Bohoslavsky, Former UN Independent Expert on Debt and Human Rights, raised questions about the selective burden placed on domestic creditors and proposed a more equitable distribution of sacrifices. He underscored that international law demands inter-creditor equity in sovereign debt restructuring, urging for fair treatment across all debt holders.
The ‘National Convening on Debt and Women’s Human Rights,’ held in Colombo on August 9-10, 2023, brought together women’s rights groups from Sri Lanka and other Asian countries. These advocates discussed the profound impact of the ongoing crisis on their lives and criticized the inadequacy of government responses. International financial institutions, notably the World Bank and IMF, were censured for imposing unjust austerity measures without accountability, exacerbating economic turmoil in the region.
Sri Lanka faces a severe economic crisis due to an unsustainable debt burden of 103.8 percent of GDP as of March 2023. This crisis compounds the challenges faced by households still recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic. The government’s hurried implementation of austerity measures to secure an IMF bailout has led to cuts in public spending, significant hikes in utility, food, and energy costs, regressive taxation, and limited social security disbursements. These measures disproportionately affect low to middle-income families and pose a threat to wage and job security, particularly for women. Alarmingly, the government’s decision to utilize the earnings of the Employee Provident Funds to repay debt places an undue burden on the working class and restricts avenues for resistance and legal action.
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
