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21A: SLPP divided, Sarath W takes clear stand against it
Prez reminded of promise to enact new Constitution
By Shamindra Ferdinando
SLPP lawmaker Rear Admiral (retd.) Sarath Weerasekera has declared that he will not vote for the proposed 21 st Amendment to the Constitution under any circumstances.
The former Public Security Minister and Colombo District lawmaker said he couldn’t accept the 21st Amendment as it was meant to restore the provisions in the treacherous 19th Amendment to the Constitution enacted in 2015.
MP Weerasekera said so at a meeting chaired by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Monday (30) evening at the President’s House to reach a consensus on the proposed Amendment.
Among those who had been present at the discussion were Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, SLPP founder Basil Rajapaksa, MP, members of the cabinet and members of Parliament.
At the onset of the meeting, Justice Minister Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakse, PC, has briefed the gathering of the proposed Amendment meant to do away with the 20th Amendment enacted in Oct 2020.
Lawmaker Weerasekera asked how he could accept 21 Amendment after having voted against the 19th Amendment that sought to empower the Premier at the expense of the President.
The former Navy Chief of Staff has questioned the move to amend the constitution, hastily in response to essentially an economic crisis. The former minister said that he kept quiet in spite of the appointment of a new Prime Minister along with cabinet of ministers. However, a blind eye couldn’t be turned to the controversial moves to bring back provisions of the 19th Amendment, MP Weerasekera said. The nationalist warned that enactment of 21 meant the betrayal of 6.9 mn people who exercised their franchise in support of wartime Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the Nov 2019 presidential election and the SLPP at the subsequent general election in August 2020.
MP Weerasekera asked how President Gotabaya Rajapaksa could hand over executives powers bestowed on him at a national election to a person who represented Parliament with just one vote there. The ex-minister urged the grouping to take into consideration the President had been elected whereas the PM was selected.
Lawmaker Weerasekera emphasized that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa couldn’t follow a course of action contrary to that of his overwhelming mandate.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa last month invited UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe to accept premiership in the wake of violent protests demanding the resignation of both the President and Premier Mahinda Rajapaksa, who quit on May 09.
The main Opposition Samagi Jana Balavegaya, the JVP and the BASL are still pushing for the abolition of the executive presidency.
MP Weerasekera, who transformed the Civil Defence Force from a ragtag outfit into a fighting arm during the war also questioned the status of the draft Constitution prepared by a 9-member expert team led by President’s Counsel Romesh de Silva. The Navy veteran said that Gotabaya Rajapaksa received a mandate to enact a new Constitution. Therefore, a constitutional amendment couldn’t be brought into appease those bent on working against the wishes of the people.
However, several lawmakers, including Harin Fernando, Charitha Herath and Nimal Lanza backed the 21 Amendment. They strongly endorsed the proposed amendment that has received the backing of a wider section of the public. However, the BASL insists the amendment in its present form didn’t meet the aspirations of those demanding the restoration of democratic governance.
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
