News
Proposed anti-terror law will pave way for dictatorship, warns GL
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Prof. G.L. Peiris, MP, yesterday (03) warned that the Attorney General would become extremely powerful in an authoritarian state if the proposed Anti-Terrorism Bill became law.
Addressing the media on behalf of Freedom People’s Alliance (FPA) at Nawala, the former External Affairs Minister explained how the Office of the AG would facilitate the emergence of a dictatorship.
FPA consists of rebel SLPP MPs who voted against UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe at the parliamentary poll to elect an MP to complete the remainder of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s five-year term.
The former top law academic issued the warning in the wake of Chief Opposition Whip Lakshman Kiriella’s declaration that the main Opposition Samagi Jana Balavegaya would move the Supreme Court against the proposed law soon after the government tabled it in parliament.
Having explained the role of the AG, the National List lawmaker said that anyone could be at the mercy of the AG who could order rehabilitation of those having dissenting views.
At the onset of the briefing, Prof. Peiris alleged that the current dispensation was taking advantage of both local and international calls to replace the Prevention of terrorism Act (PTA) with a new law to bring in provisions meant to consolidate political power.
Commenting on the ongoing public sector trade union campaign demanding the revision of the government’s controversial tax formula, Prof. Peiris said that the proposed new law targeted trade unionists.
The issue at hand should be examined against the backdrop of growing opposition to privatisation of valuable state assets and profit-making ventures such as Sri Lanka Telecom and Sri Lanka Insurance.
In terms of the new law those who strike regardless of the declaration of selected sectors as essential services could be simply categorized as terrorists on the basis of strike being an act of terrorism, the former minister said.
The print and electronic media as well as social media platforms could be easily targeted for reportage of events and developments which the new law construed as act/acts of terrorism, Prof. Peiris said.
The former minister recalled how President JRJ sacked as many as 80,000 public sector workers for demanding a pittance of a salary increase. Alleging that 152 of those sacked public sector workers deprived of their salary committed suicide, Prof. Peiris said that the proposed law could be used to confiscate properties and cash of those found guilty of offenses under the proposed law.
The Professor explained how the new law applied to political and trade union activists and the media.
Giving Senior DIGs/DIGs the power to issue Detention Orders would be catastrophic as the process proposed in terms of the new law would be outside the purview of relevant courts, Prof. Peiris said. He declared that the courts, too, would be helpless as the government utilised the new anti-terrorism law to achieve its political objectives.
The former minister described the proposed law as the blueprint for what he called a complete dictatorial setup hell-bent on bulldozing political dissent.
The effort to put off Local Government polls was part of the overall strategy, Prof. Peiris said, urging the public to rally around the genuine Opposition to thwart the high profile project.
Prof. Peiris urged President Wickremesinghe to seek a new mandate to implement his action plan. Instead of Local Government polls, the President could call for parliamentary polls to ascertain the ground situation, the former minister said.
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
