News
SLPP rebels issue warning over labour reforms, question motives of Prez
‘Who takes responsibility for denying two million persons welfare assistance in July?’
By Shamindra Ferdinando
The rebel SLPP group yesterday (31) issued a dire warning over government plans to repeal or significantly amend 12 Acts which dealt with both public and private sector workers.
Addressing the media at the Freedom People’s Congress office at Nawala, SLPP National List MP Prof. G. L. Peiris explained how new labour laws could throw both public and private sectors into a turmoil. The former External Affairs Minister said that repealing or making significant amendments to what he called crucial protective legislation -Termination of Employees Act and Shop and Office Employees Act – could be quite devastating.
Prof. Peiris alleged that the proposed labour laws would cause uncertainty among the workers at a time of growing concerns among the vast majority of people over the direction the Wickremesinghe-Rajapaksa government was taking the country.
Prof. Peiris said a primary objective of the labour law reforms was to facilitate the termination of workers.
Alleging the government was doing its best to appease employers at the expense of workers at all levels, the former Minister discussed how the developing crisis in the health sector, disruptions to the provision of Samurdhi benefits caused by the unplanned introduction of Aswesuma social welfare scheme, utterly unfair implementation of domestic debt-restructuring process and new far reaching labour laws affected the entire population.
The former Cabinet colleague of Wickremesinghe accused him of pursuing a heartless strategy regardless of the consequences as he went out of his way to address the concerns of the investors. Referring to a recent declaration by UNP Chairman Wajira Abeywardena, MP, that President Ranil Wickremesinghe should receive 12 more years in the same capacity in appreciation of the miracle he performed, Prof. Peiris claimed that the economy was in a pathetic state. The much-touted Wickremesinghe’s miracle was nothing but a myth, the lawmaker said that the ruination of the health sector was quite sufficient to send the UNP leader home.
The ex-Minister referred to a spate of unfortunate cases reported from government hospitals over the past several months to underscore the failure on the part of the Wickremesinghe-Rajapaksa administration to sustain public sector health services. In spite of the deterioration of health services at an alarming rate, the public and private sector corruption seemed to be continuing unabated. Commenting on the Auditor General initiating investigations into procurement, Prof. Peiris mentioned several high profile corruption cases to highlight brazen acts of misappropriation of public funds.
Prod Peiris asked whether the government expected to suppress the health sector imbroglio by directing the Health Secretary, Director General of Health Services and selected medical administrators to issue statements. The government owed an explanation how it intended to procure life-saving drugs required at government hospitals. The ex-Minister alleged that those at the helm of the health sector resorted to emergency purchases to take advantage at the expense of the government and the people.
Those responsible for the disastrous bid to replace Samurdhi with Aswasuma should resign forthwith, Prof. Peiris said, demanding an explanation regarding two million people being deprived of welfare funds in July. Who would accept responsibility for this crime? the SLPP rebel heavyweight asked. Contrary to various declarations of President Wickremesinghe’s prowess in managing the economy under extremely difficult situations, the country was in a dire situation.
Referring to the recently concluded All-Party Conference (APC), chaired by President Wickremesinghe, close on the heels of his return from New Delhi, Prof. Peiris questioned the rationale in the offer to discuss devolution of power against the backdrop of the UNP leader’s refusal to conduct both Provincial Councils and Local Government polls. Such deliberations were irrelevant in a country where the President interfered with the election calendar.
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
