News
Gold smuggling govt. MP walks free after paying Rs 7.4 mn fine
Jewellery, gold biscuits and smartphones worth Rs 78 mn confiscated
By Shamindra Ferdinando
United National Alliance (UNA) General Secretary, M. M. Naimullah, yesterday (24) said that the All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC) should take disciplinary action against Puttalam District MP Ali Sabri Raheem who was nabbed by the Customs for smuggling in 3 kg and 397 grammes of gold and 91 smartphones in the early hours of Tuesday (23) via the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA).
Naimullah said so when The Island asked him how his party intended to deal with MP Raheem as his party fielded the businessman at the last general election, conducted in August 2020. The Island raised the issue with the party that he represented in Parliament as the Customs released the lawmaker, after he paid a fine of Rs 7.4 mn, consequent to a brief inquiry. Customs confiscated the undisclosed gold and smartphones estimated at Rs 74 mn and Rs 4.2 mn, respectively.
Naimullah, who had served the Central Provincial Council during 2004-2009 period, as an SLMC (Sri Lanka Muslim Congress) member, elected on the UNP ticket, emphasised that Rishad Bathiudeen’s All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC) fielded Raheem from the Puttalam District.
Asked to explain the arrangement between the UNA and the ACMC, Naimullah said that the SLMC and ACMC fielded four candidates each, on the Muslim National Alliance (MNA) ticket. They were joined by former SLFP/UPFA Provincial Council member and ex-UNP Urban Council member, Naimullah said, adding that Raheem got through.
Subsequently, Naimullah has re-registered MNA as UNA with the Election Commission.
According to Naimullah, in terms of a MoU, signed between the then MNA and ACMC, disciplinary matters, in respect of elected members, would be handled by the latter. Pressed to explain the status of internal inquiry, if any, Naimullah said that he expected the ACMC to act on this matter. “If the ACMC, in writing, informed me of whatever its decision on MP Raheem, I wouldn’t hesitate to forward it to the Secretary General of Parliament,” Naimullah said.
A senior SLMC official told The Island that the SLMC and breakaway SLMC faction, ACMC, joined hands with those who had served the UNP and SLFP/UPFA, at different levels, to contest Puttalam, under one symbol, as they strongly felt the need to get a Muslim, elected from that district. The MNA contested only in Puttalam, he said, adding that for three decades the Muslim community couldn’t win a parliamentary seat from Puttalam though there were National List members.
Mohamed Haniffa Mohamed Naina Marikkar was the last to get elected from the Puttalam district.
Naimullah said that in spite of ACMC declaration that it would expel Raheem from the party, over his decision to vote for the 20th Amendment to the Constitution, in October 2020, the party conveniently failed to inform him, in writing. “Therefore, as the General Secretary of the MNA/UNA, I couldn’t address a serious breach of party discipline,” Naimullah said.
Naimullah said that though he didn’t want to address these issues at hand, publicly, but when the media sought an explanation, he couldn’t decline to respond.
Asked whether MP Raheem received special treatment in view of his status, Customs spokesperson Sudantha Silva said that they followed normal procedure. The official said that Customs could conduct further investigations, if necessary, depending on the requirement. Sudantha Silva said responding to The Island query whether they would try to establish the role played by the MP. Responding to another query, the official said that he didn’t have information pertaining to MR Raheem’s foreign travel in the recent past.
The Customs spokesperson said that there was no further inquiry regarding this matter at the moment.
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
