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Bid to axe PUCSL head: Govt. all out to secure 113 votes
by Saman Indrajith
Government leaders are all out to secure 113 votes to ensure the passage of a motion to remove Janaka Ratnayake from the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL), which he currently heads.The vote is scheduled to be taken on Wednesday (24) evening after a full-day debate from 10.30 a.m. to 5.00 p.m.
“In accordance with Sri Lanka Public Utilities Commission Act No. 35 of 2002 on Wednesday the 24th of May from 10.30 am to 5.00 pm the address for the removal of Mr. J. W. M. J.P. K Ratnayake, the incumbent Chairman and the member of the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka, from the membership of the said Commission in terms of Section 7 of the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka Act is also scheduled to be taken up for debate,” Parliament has said in a media statement.
The government claims to have 120 MPs on its side in the 225-member House but 10 of them are currently overseas. President Ranil Wickremesinghe has ordered that none of the MPs leave the country and those who are overseas return in time for Wednesday’s vote.
The government has approached the TNA for support, according to sources.SLPP General Secretary MP Sagara Kariyawasam, last Thursday, said that SLPP did not approve of Ratnanayke’s conduct and would support the motion.
Party sources however said that some 20 SLPP MPs had met with former President Mahinda Rajapaksa and MP Namal Rajapaksa and expressed their opposition to voting against Ratnayake, appointed by former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. They said Ratnayake had opposed power tariff increases and public opinion would turn against the government in case of his removal.
The government has sought Basil Rajapaksa’s help to muster enough votes to remove Ratnayake. Basil is currently in Dubai.The SJB and JVP have already announced that they will vote against the government’s move.
Chief Opposition Whip and Kandy District SJB MP Lakshman Kiriella, addressing the media at the Opposition Leader’s Office in Colombo, said the SLPP had announced its readiness to vote in favour of the proposal presented to Parliament to remove Ratnayake from the PUCSL. He said the main Opposition group would back Ratnayake, who had resisted attempts to increase electricity tariff unfairly. The motion to remove Ratnayake was similar to the one that was used to sack former Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake, Kiriella said.
The JVP-led NPP announced, on Saturday, its decision to vote against the government’s plans to remove Ratnayake from the PUCSL.
Addressing the media at the party headquarters in Pelawatte, JVP Propaganda Secretary MP Vijitha Herath said: “We won’t protect any individual as such. We support the position Ratnayake has taken vis-a-vis the government’s plans to increase electricity tariff. The government attempted to increase electricity tariffs going by the IMF conditions. That was very unfair. The PUCSL chairman opposed it. The government could pressure the other members of the PUCSL to toe its line. Now, it is only this chairman who is standing between the government and its plans to increase the electricity prices unfairly. Therefore, the government is trying to remove him by passing a motion to that effect in Parliament. We will go all out to defeat this move.”
PUCSL Chairman Ratanayake has written to General Secretary of Parliament Dhammika Dassanayake seeking the latter’s approval to watch the debate from the public gallery. He has said: “I request you to allow me and my two sons to witness the proceedings of Parliament from the gallery on 24th May 2023, as the debate in relation to the removal of me from the position of Public Utilities Commission is scheduled to be taken up on that date.”
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
