News
‘Crises endemic, reflect overall failure of ministers’
Wijeyadasa, Vidura slam Cabinet
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Blaming the Cabinet of Ministers for a spate of serious crises, State Minister Vidura Wickremanayake says there is absolutely no point in a Cabinet reshuffle.
The Cabinet of Ministers has failed the country, the Kalutara District lawmaker said, urging the government to take tangible measures or face the consequences. The former SLFPer contested the last parliamentary election on the SLPP ticket.
The State Minister said so when The Island asked the outspoken Parliamentarian to explain his recent call for change of strategy due to the pathetic performance of the Cabinet of Ministers.
Responding to The Island queries, the only son of one-time Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake said that the country wouldn’t have been in such a sorry state if cabinet ministers accomplished what was expected of them. Instead, the cabinet was the cause of turmoil today, MP Wickremanayake said, explaining how flawed decisions taken without proper consultations, advice in line with overall national policies weakened the government.
Asked whether his frank opinion as regards the performance of the cabinet of ministers received criticism from colleagues in the government, MP Wickremanayake said that how could anyone refuse to accept the truth. According to the State Minister, the cabinet was part of the executive therefore it was responsible for implementing decisions taken by the government.
In terms of the Constitution the President heads the cabinet.
State Minister Wickremanayake said that the failure on the part of the cabinet had caused irreparable damage to the two year old administration. “One or two more wrong decisions will be catastrophic,” MP Wickremanayake said.
State Minister Wickremanayake has questioned the standing of the cabinet of ministers at a time ministers Vasudeva Nanayakkara, Wimal Weerawansa and Udaya Gammanpila have challenged the integrity of the rest of the cabinet ministers over the controversial Yugadanavi deal. The case is now before the Supreme Court.
Former cabinet minister and SLPP Colombo District MP Wijeyadasa Rajapakse asserted that the current crisis should be examined against the backdrop of the enactment of the 20th Amendment in Oct 2020 at the expense of the 19th Amendment.
Acknowledging State Minister Wickremanayake’s strong criticism of the cabinet of ministers, lawmaker Rajapakse emphasized that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa couldn’t absolve himself of responsibility as he chaired the cabinet. The 20th Amendment was meant to strengthen the hands of the President, the former Justice Minister said, the cabinet couldn’t be faulted leaving the President out.
MP Rajapakse voted for the controversial amendment after having strongly criticized it. State Minister Wickremanayake, too, voted for the 20th Amendment.
Former BASL President Rajapakse said that the incumbent dispensation had caused so much turmoil in the administrative and political setups, every sector was in deepening turmoil. Ruination of the agro sector was a glaring case of an example, MP Rajapakse said, adding that the hasty decision regarding the abolition of agro-chemical use destroyed the farmer community.
Subsequent, corruption accusations both in and out of Parliament over both carbonic fertiliser imports from China that ended in disaster with the creation of a new controversy over payment of USD 6.7 mn to the supplier of allegedly contaminated fertiliser that had been rejected and liquid fertilizer imports from India placed the government in an extremely embarrassing situation, the MP said.
Yugadanavi was another crisis that has now ended up in the Supreme Court, the President’s Counsel said, while asserting that the government might not be able to overcome a spate of overwhelming challenges. “The new year is going to be tough. The people are experiencing an extremely difficult situation due to the sharp increase in the cost of living as a result of the continuing balance of payments crisis,” MP Rajapakse said.
Who would accept the responsibility for gas-related explosions in all parts of the country? the former minister asked. Who really believed the crises could be overcome by proroguing the Parliament or selling national assets to external powers through skullduggery.
MP Rajapakse said that nothing could be as important as the government undertaking a comprehensive examination of the ground situation. The executive, the legislature and the judiciary would have to undertake a total review, the former Minister said, warning that the government seemed to be running out of time.
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
