News
PNM decries Gota-Ranil govt.
… warns SLPP rebels against accepting ministerial portfolios
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Dr. Wasantha Bandara says the appointment of UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe will hinder the formation of an all-party interim administration or a government of national unity.
Speaking on behalf of the Patriotic National Movement (PNM) Dr. Bandara yesterday (15) said that the envisaged administration could only be described as Gota-Ranil government.
Dr. Bandara, who backed Goabaya Rajapaksa’s candidature at the 2019 presidential election, said so in the wake of the President swearing in four ministers, namely Prof. G.L. Peiris (Foreign Affairs), Dinesh Gunawardena (Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils and Local Government), Prasanna Ranatunga (Urban Development and Housing) and Kanchanna Wijesekera (power and energy) pending finalisation of other appointments. All of them are either elected or appointed members on the SLPP ticket or the National List.
The Gota-Ranil arrangement could be compared with the Chandrika-Ranil (2002-2003) and Maithri-Ranil (2015-2019) governments. The PNM spokesperson warned the SLPP dissidents, aka 11-party grouping, of catastrophic consequences in case they accepted portfolios in the new administration.
Responding to media queries, Dr. Bandara asserted that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa may have offered the premiership to the UNP leader due to international pressure. Dr. Bandara claimed that the UNP leader would try to implement his agenda that had been interrupted in 2003.
Dr. Bandara said that those who exercised their franchise for Gotabaya Rajapaksa and the SLPP, at the 2019 presidential and 2020 parliamentary elections, respectively, would never endorse Wickremesinghe receiving premiership.
The SLPP rebels have repeatedly assured that they wouldn’t accept ministerial portfolios under any circumstances. Top rebel spokespersons, Wimal Weerawansa and Udaya Gammanpila have alleged that Wickremesinghe would go ahead with projects undertaken by the ousted Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa.
Dr. Bandara said that the PNM had no faith at all in Wickremesinghe, who always pursued an anti-Sri Lanka agenda regardless of the consequences.
The PNM official recalled how Wickremesinghe signed the Norwegian-arranged Ceasefire Agreement (CFA) with the LTTE, in Feb 2003, and co-sponsored a resolution at the Geneva-based United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Oct 2015.
The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) has proposed what its President Saliya Pieris called an interim government of National Unity consisting of 15 Cabinet Ministers. The BASL, in a statement issued on Saturday (14), stressed the need to be cautious when making crucial appointments.
The BASL said that the appointment of the Prime Minister and the Cabinet of Ministers were important steps to restore economic and political stability. As such it would be necessary that such appointments were made in a manner which would establish public confidence, the BASL stated.
Dr. Bandara said that it wouldn’t be so difficult for the people to understand how Wickremesinghe would proceed and take advantage of the current situation to push his despicable agenda.
Dr. Bandara asserted that offering the premiership to Wickremesinghe was contrary to the proposals made by the Mahanayakes, as well as the BASL. Placing Wickremesinghe at the helm of the government parliamentary group, in Parliament, betrayed the 6.9 mn people who exercised their franchise for Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the presidential and the SLPP at the subsequent parliamentary election.
Political sources said that many SLPP lawmakers were in a quandary over the appointment of Wickremesinghe. Among them was a section of the 145-member parliamentary group that had declared it would sit in the Opposition. But, the dissident group has assured that it wouldn’t undermine the government as long as the new administration didn’t work against the national interest.
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
