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Labour Dept. insists on strong employee – employer relationships for industrial peace

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4 years ago

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by Sanath Nanayakkare

In the past, Inspectors of the Labour Department visiting and checking business establishments was perceived as a ‘raid’, and now it’s time to have a break in this perception and promote mutual understanding between employers and employees over the direction industrial relations should go beyond the existing labour laws, the Labour Department said on Tuesday.

It is worth thinking about the combined contribution of both employers and employees because there is a lot of rationale for developing good industrial relations and creating a great work place to significantly boost employees’ job prospects and employers’ earning prospects, they said.

W.P. Nimal Weerasinghe, Labour Officer, Human Resources Development Division of the Department of Labour made these comment on Tuesday while speaking at an awareness session titled ‘Social Dialogue and Workplace Cooperation’, organised by the Chamber Academy of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce.

“Human resource is an asset and not a liability for any institution and both employers and employees should have positive attitudes towards each other to promote industrial peace and create a win-win situation for both parties without letting the work force to become a headache for the institution,” he said.

Addressing the audience consisting of managers of various businesses represented by the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, the expert in labour relations and resolving labour disputes further said:

“There shouldn’t be a disconnect between the employers and employees. However, at times when workers fight for their rights, they might decide to go on strike. And employers might decide to shut the institution to prevent strikes from happening in the premises. Such a situation could lead to a stoppage of production or service and cause negative results for both employers and employees.”

“Frederick Taylor (1856 -1915) best known for his principles of scientific management, said,” Workers are naturally lazy, due to a range of reasons of being unmotivated and finding work boring. So assign them work, guide, help, and encourage and get them to do the job.”

“In contrast, Elton Mayo (1880 – 1949) industrial researcher and organisational theorist said,” Managers can increase productivity by placing trust in the employees to work independently with the least supervision. I’d like to ask as managers how do you view these two points of view? If you give workers the freedom, will they do the work as expected of them? Do they have to be consistently managed and supervised? Managers should let conscientious workers work independently and indifferent workers to work under supervision. But you might have a problem if you try to supervise conscientious workers and let indifferent workers to work independently. In this context, the Labour Department would like to put the more neutral Japanese 5S Methodology in between these two theories. According to Japanese 5S, a good manager is invisible because he or she is not only leading but also working with their team to achieve the set goals and targets. So, you must have the ability to distinguish these characteristics in the work place and produce the best results for your employers, employees and your organisation. Managers have to play a hybrid role of a decision maker and an employee. So you need to strike the right balance between these very difficult dynamics. If you can achieve that, your labour force won’t turn out to be a headache, instead they will become a real asset to your organisation.”

G. W. N. Viraji, Labour Commissioner said that both employees and employers must not be swayed by emotions when they deal with an industrial issue.

“You need to look at each other’s perspective with empathy. You need to listen to each other and cooperate to resolve the issues together and move forward.”

She highlighted the fact that both parties should honestly consider who has actually caused the problem on the basis that ‘sometimes you are the problem’ and own up to your commitments and accountabilities without placing the blame on the other.”

P.A.S.C Pathiraja, Assistant Commissioner of Labour also made a presentation at the webinar and cleared many concerns of the participants about industrial issues at the Q and A.


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Global regulators convene in Colombo for key IOSCO enforcement and cooperation discussions

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12 hours ago

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2026/10/20

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Dignitaries at the wide-ranging discussions.

The Securities and Exchange Commission of Sri Lanka (SEC) successfully hosted a series of high-level meetings of the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO), bringing together leading securities regulators and enforcement officials from around the world to discuss emerging regulatory challenges, strengthen international cooperation, and enhance collective efforts to combat cross-border securities market misconduct.

The meetings, held at the Hilton Colombo from 13 to 16 October 2026, included sessions of the IOSCO Enforcement and Cooperation Committee and its Screening Group (Committee 4/SG), as well as meetings of the Monitoring Group and the Steering Committee. The event attracted approximately 50 senior representatives from securities regulators and exchanges across several jurisdictions, including Australia, Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Canada, New Zealand, India, Germany, Belgium, Singapore, China and Spain, reflecting the global significance of the discussions and the growing importance of international regulatory collaboration.

Welcoming delegates to Sri Lanka, Senior Professor D.B.P.H. Dissabandara, Chairman of the SEC, emphasized the critical role of international cooperation in safeguarding market integrity and investor confidence in an increasingly interconnected financial landscape.

“No regulator can effectively address cross-border misconduct in isolation. The speed with which information, transactions and illicit activities can move across borders requires an equally coordinated and timely regulatory response. Strong international cooperation, effective information sharing and mutual trust among regulators are essential to maintaining fair, transparent and resilient capital markets,” he stated.

The discussions focused on a range of enforcement and cooperation matters, including mechanisms for enhancing cross-border information exchange, strengthening investigative collaboration among regulators, addressing increasingly sophisticated forms of securities fraud and market abuse, and promoting the effective implementation of international standards and best practices. Participants also exchanged experiences and insights on emerging enforcement challenges arising from technological developments, digitalization of financial services, and increasingly interconnected global markets.

IOSCO is recognized as the leading international body that brings together the world’s securities regulators and serves as the global standard setter for securities regulation. Through its policy work and cooperative initiatives, IOSCO plays a central role in promoting investor protection, ensuring that markets are fair, efficient and transparent, reducing systemic risk, and strengthening confidence in capital markets worldwide.

Sri Lanka has maintained a strong and active relationship with IOSCO for more than three decades. The SEC became an Ordinary Member of IOSCO in 1993 and has been a signatory to the IOSCO Multilateral Memorandum of Understanding (MMoU) since 2004. The MMoU is the internationally recognised benchmark for cooperation and information sharing among securities regulators and serves as a critical tool in facilitating cross-border investigations and enforcement actions.

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Pan Asia Bank partners Ideal Motors to offer leasing solutions

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12 hours ago

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2026/10/20

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Representatives of both parties are seen exchanging the agreement (Standing from left to right) Officials from Ideal motors: Trevene Ferdinand, AGM - Corporate/Tender; Dinesh Manage, Business Development Manager; Kasun Fernando, General Manager - Commercial Vehicles; Nimisha Welgama, Director – Legal and Corporate Affairs; Officials from Pan Asia Bank: Naleen Edirisinghe, Director/CEO; Yohan Ebell, Head of Retail Credit; Sudharshana Hettiarachchi, Officer in Charge – Leasing; and Kanchana Kannangara, National Sales Manager – Leasing.

Pan Asia Bank recently entered into a one-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Ideal Motors (Pvt) Ltd, creating a new financing avenue for customers purchasing vehicles from the authorised Mahindra dealer. The strategic partnership will enable customers of Ideal Motors to access leasing facilities from Pan Asia Bank, making vehicle financing more convenient while supporting their mobility and business requirements. The agreement also provides an opportunity for the Bank to expand its leasing portfolio and strengthen its presence in Sri Lanka’s vehicle financing market.

Ideal Motors is the authorised dealer for the Mahindra vehicle range in Sri Lanka, including the Mahindra Bolero CPU Truck and Scorpio Jeep/Pickup. The vehicles cater to a range of requirements, from commercial and business applications to personal mobility, making accessible financing an important part of the purchasing decision.

The Bank’s vehicle leasing facilities are designed to simplify the financing process, with convenient repayment options and professional support to help customers select a solution suited to their requirements. For customers, the arrangement brings vehicle selection and financing closer together, reducing the need to navigate the two processes separately.

“Our partnership with Ideal Motors enables us to bring financing closer to customers at the point of vehicle purchase. We remain focused on providing convenient and flexible leasing solutions that support both personal mobility and the needs of businesses,” said Naleen Edirisinghe, Director/CEO of Pan Asia Bank.

Pan Asia Bank and Ideal Motors will work closely during the one-year partnership to maximise business opportunities and deliver a seamless financing experience to customers. The collaboration is expected to strengthen both organisations’ ability to respond to demand for commercial and personal vehicles while creating greater value for customers.

Yohan Ebell, Head of Retail Credit, Pan Asia Bank, said: “Through this partnership, we aim to make vehicle financing simpler and more accessible, with leasing solutions designed to meet the varied requirements of Ideal Motors’ customers.”

The collaboration also reflects Pan Asia Bank’s commitment to building partnerships that make financial services more accessible and responsive to the needs of individuals and businesses.

Pan Asia Bank has established a growing presence in vehicle financing, offering leasing solutions designed around customer convenience and flexibility. Its leasing proposition is supported by a nationwide branch network and a customer-focused approach, enabling customers to obtain guidance on financing options while completing their vehicle purchase.

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Heritance Hotels and Resorts secures four wins at World Travel Awards 2026

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12 hours ago

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2026/10/20

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Heritance Hotels and Resorts has secured four distinguished titles at the World Travel Awards 2026, with three national awards recognising its Sri Lankan properties and an international title for Heritance Aarah in the Maldives.

The three Sri Lankan titles recognise Heritance Tea Factory as Sri Lanka’s Leading Heritage Hotel 2026, Heritance Ahungalla as Sri Lanka’s Leading Luxury Hotel 2026, and Heritance Kandalama as Sri Lanka’s Leading Wedding Hotel 2026. Heritance Aarah was named the Indian Ocean’s Leading All-Inclusive Resort 2026.

Internationally recognised within the global travel and tourism industry, the World Travel Awards celebrate excellence across hotels, resorts, and destinations. Recognition at this level affirms the quality, distinctiveness, and consistency of the experiences delivered by Heritance Hotels and Resorts.

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