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2024 Prez poll: Champika denies alliance with MR-Ranil grouping, won’t contest
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Rebel Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) lawmaker Patali Champika Ranawaka yesterday (31) denied speculative media reports pertaining to him being the presidential candidate of the ruling Wickremesinghe-Rajapaksa alliance.
In a hastily issued statement over the weekend, the leader of the Eksath Janaraja Peramuna (EJP) emphasised that there was absolutely no basis for such claims.The next presidential election is scheduled to be held later this year. The parliamentary election is scheduled to be held thereafter.
Declaring that he wouldn’t close ranks with the Rajapaksas under any circumstances, the former Minister urged the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) to replace party leader Mahinda Rajapaksa.
Ranawaka contested the last parliamentary election in August 2020 on SJB ticket.The SJB secured 54 seats, including seven National List slots.A co-founder of former Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), Ranawaka said that Wickremesinghe, who had been picked by the SLPP as the eighth President, in July 2022, brazenly advanced the SLPP’s political agenda, hence there couldn’t be any alliance between his party and the incumbent administration. The MP alleged both Rahapaksas and Wickremesinghe promoted utterly corrupt business interests hell-bent on making money at the expense of the country and the people.
Referring to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s ouster in July 2022, following an intense protest campaign (though apparently hatched by outside forces), Ranawaka said that his party had explicit faith in the public power to achieve their political objectives.
Commenting on various political proposals advanced by different parties, MP Ranawaka stressed that daunting challenges faced by the country couldn’t be overcome by pursuing now defunct JRJ, Premadasa strategies or socialist experiments. The parliamentarian who had served the Cabinets of both Mahinda Rajapaksa and Maithripala Sirisena declared their efforts were meant to harness public opinion against the current corrupt set up and help facilitate a new social order.
A dissident SLPP MP told The Island that a section of the ruling party seemed uncertain about Wickremesinghe’s candidature at the presidential poll though the likes of Minister Kanchana Wijesekera publicly declared the party’s support for the incumbent President. Power and Energy Minister Wijesekera is on record as having said that the majority of the SLPP parliamentary group backed Wickremesinghe for a second term.
In July 2022 the SLPP, at a vote in Parliament, picked Wickremesinghe to complete the remainder of the five-year term won by Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the 2019 Nov presidential election.
The dissident SLPP lawmaker pointed out that a group, led by Gampaha District MP Nimal Lanza, that had been at loggerheads with the top leadership over criticism of the President’s policies, also backed Wickremesinghe’s candidature, regardless of SLPP National List MP Dammika Perera being promoted as their candidate.
MP Ranawaka said that both the Rajapaksas and Wickremesinghe had been rejected by the people and they couldn’t regain public confidence under any circumstances. MP Ranawaka was among those who voted against the Budget 2024 at the Third Reading of the Appropriation Bill on Dec 13. It was passed with a majority of 41 votes, with 122 for and 81 against. Jaffna District MP C.V. Wigneswaran was absent at the time of the voting.
MP Ranawaka said that his party was in touch with members of the SLPP, the UNP as well as the SJB. However, the EJP wouldn’t seek a consensus with the Rajapaksas and Wickremesinghe but would continue to work with other parliamentarians, he said.
The former Minister also dealt with the continuing controversy over the procurement of fake immunoglobulin. Declaring that the corrupt deal on the purchase of immunoglobulin had been first disclosed by Chairman of the EJP, Medical Specialist Ajith Amarasinghe, MP Ranawaka urged President Wickremesinghe to allow the law to take its course. According to MP Ranawaka, Dr. Amarasinghe had revealed the controversy pertaining to blood samples.
MP Ranawaka said that former Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella and the others involved in the immunoglobulin scam shouldn’t be allowed to side-step the issue and escape justice.
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
