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TNA MP raises privilege issue against EP Governor
Batticaloa District TNA MP Rasamanickam Shankiyan called on Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena to take action against Eastern Province Governor Anuradha Yahampath for violating his privileges as an MP.
MP Shankiyan raising a privilege issue said the Governor had issued media statements which were malicious and false. “Batticaloa District MPs including myself met Eastern Province Governor Anuradha Yahampath on Oct 14 by prior appointment. Governor Yahampath thereafter issued statements to the press stating that I led the delegation which behaved in a manner unbecoming of parliamentarians by demanding land on the basis of ethnic proportion. The Island newspaper of Oct 15 quoted the Governor’s media unit and stated the Governor found fault with TNA politicians attaching communal identity to lands for cheap political gain.
It identifies me having led the delegation. Also similar statements have appeared in other Sinhala and English newspapers. That statement issued to the press by the governor violates my privileges as an MP. The statements spread malicious and false stories and thereby lower the dignity of an MP. I urge you to take actions against Anuradha Yahampath in this regard. I read the article in The Island. It says Eastern Governor locks horns with TNA politicians.
Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena: There is no need to read the article. You can present your privilege issue.
MP Shankiyan: Actually this issue is not related to lands or anything ethnic. It is a pastureland between Mailaththamadu and Madawana belonging to Chenkaladi. It belongs to Mahaweli B Zone. There are 200,000 milch cows for many years. The cows produce around 17,000 liters of milk daily. We met with the Grama Niladhari, Divisional Secretary and District Secretary to point out that those pasturelands are being divided into five acre plots and distributed for various purposes. The District Secretary has now been transferred out because she spoke on this matter. We met Director General of Mahaweli. I met Irrigation Minister Chamal Rajapaksa too to discuss this matter. There is a circular to affect 22,000 acres in the area. When I took up the issue I am labeled a racist. These media circuses depict me as a communalist. Sinhala readers think that I arouse communal issues. There is no such thing. This is a pastureland. Milch cows grazing there do not know whether those are Sinhala or Tamil lands”.
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
