News
Parliament thrown into turmoil; Sittings suspended for 10 mins
Two Opposition MPs suspended
By Saman Indrajith
Opposition MPs’ protest, demanding the restoration of their right to raise questions in Parliament led to the suspension of sittings being suspended for 10 minutes yesterday and the subsequent suspension of two MPs for the day.
SJB Kurunegala District MP Nalin Bandara Jayamaha and Kandy District SLPP dissident MP Wasantha Yapa Bandara were suspended from Parliament for the day.
Protests erupted when MP Bandara asked a supplementary question from Wildlife and Forest Conservation Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi about the neglect of elephants. “Today, the elephants are ill-treated and processions cannot be held with elephants. Lankan elephants are a rare species. We have reports that there were attempts of taking their genes abroad. There was also a recent report about elephant Muthuraja being taken back to Thailand. Now, there are many visitors to see that elephant in that country. There are tourists visiting Thailand to see that elephant. We are accused of ill-treating elephants”
Deputy Speaker Ajith Rajapakshe said that MP Wasantha Bandara was taking more time for his questions and asked the MP to shorten his complaint.
MP Bandara: This is a serious issue. We must be given time to raise these issues of national importance in the House. Elephants are a part of our heritage.
The Deputy Speaker: What you are saying is true but do not waste the time of the House.
MP Bandara: We have a right to raise questions. Why doesn’t the Chair allow us to exercise our rights?
Chief Government Whip Housing and Urban Development Minister Prasanna Ranatunga: The MP is taking so much time for his question. You are raising these questions to grab media attention.
Deputy Speaker Rajapakshe said that the MP was continuously causing disturbances to the proceedings of the Parliament.
Minister Wanniarachchi said that she had answered in detail the questions pertaining to the human-elephant conflict in the House and, therefore, would not answer the supplementary questions.
Deputy Speaker Rajapakshe said that he would skip the question at hand and move the House to the next question.
Thereafter, Opposition MPs shouted at the Chair. Some of them invaded the Well of the House while others approached the Chair and shouted at the Deputy Speaker, who called on the Leader of the Opposition to control his fellow MPs. “They should not be called MPs. There are more disciplined ones in the jungles,” the Deputy Speaker said.
As some MPs approached the Chair, the Deputy Speaker suspended sittings for 10 minutes.
When the House resumed sittings after a delay, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena presided.
NFF leader Wimal Weerawansa said that when the disturbances took place there were Japanese government delegation and schoolchildren in the gallery.
SJB Kurunegala District MP Nalin Bandara Jayamaha: I did not take more than two minutes for my question. We need time to raise questions. Are we supposed to take our questions to a Pradeshiya Sabha if we are not allowed to discuss them here?
Chief Government Whip Minister Ranatunga: The conduct of MP Wasantha Bandara and Nalin Bandara was abhorrent. Some MPs reached the Chair and threatened the presiding MP and I call on the Speaker to suspend the sittings of these two MPs.
Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena suspended the two MPs for the day. The two MPs left the Chamber while their colleagues shouted, condemning the government for depriving the MPs’ rights.
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
