News
‘JVP should explain why suicide bombers’ father was made its NL nominee’
By Shamindra Ferdinando
National Freedom Front (NFF) leader Wimal Weerawansa, MP, yesterday (23) challenged Justice Minister Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakse, PC, to reveal the person who had allegedly received USD 250 mn to derail Sri Lanka’s bid to secure compensation for the X-Press Pearl maritime disaster, in Sri Lankan waters, in May/June 2021.
Addressing the media at the NFF office, at Etul Kotte, the former Minister said that Dr. Rajapakse could do so in Parliament, exercising privilege as a member. Parliament is scheduled to meet next, from Tuesday to Friday.
The Justice Minister made the explosive disclosure of USD 250 mn bribe in the April 13, 2023 edition of The Island.MP Weerawansa said that having acknowledged he knew the account number of a bank in the UK that received USD 250 mn, the Justice Minister should go the whole hog, the MP said.
The NFF leader called for a thorough investigation into the alleged bid to thwart Sri Lanka from making a realistic claim.Former MEPA Chairperson Attorney-at-Law Dharshini Lahandapura is on record as having said that an expert committee, appointed by her, asserted the compensation at USD 6.4 bn, whereas environmentalist Dr. Ajantha Perera declared Sri Lanka could ask for as much as USD 50 bn.
Commenting on the proposed Anti-Terrorism Act, Wimal Weerawansa said that it was meant to target the legitimate political opposition. The former JVPer said that, in fact, the new Act provided much better protection to those who really planned /engaged in terrorism whereas the media was targeted on the basis they could influence acts of terrorism.
Responding to a query, MP Weerawansa said that all those responsible for the Easter Sunday carnage should be punished. However, those who had been implicated with the National Thowheed Jamaath (NTJ) movement, and others involved in the conspiracy, pretended they were concerned about the Easter Sunday victims. Asked to explain, MP Weerawansa said that the JVP should explain how the father of two Easter Sunday suicide bombers, and wealthy spice trader Mohamed Yusuf Ibrahim, ended up on the JVP’s National List at the 2015 general election.
MP Weerawansa said that the JVP, too, organized a protest march, demanding justice for the Easter Sunday victims. The former Minister said Ibrahim’s daughter-in-law triggered the suicide blast when police commandos raided their luxury house at Dematagoda. The JVP should explain the nexus with the Ibrahim family, MP Weerawansa 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
