News
Expulsion of Ahamed could have bearing on budget vote – SLMC Secy.
by Shamindra Ferdinando
SLMC Secretary M. Nizam Kariapper, PC, yesterday (08) said that the expulsion of Batticaloa District MP Zainul Abdeen Nazeer Ahamed from Parliament for switching allegiance to the government in violation of a decision by the party to vote against Budget 2022 would impact the upcoming vote on Budget 2024.
Ahamed voted for the Budget during the Third Reading on 10 Dec., 2021.SC justices P. Padman Surasena, S. Thurairaja, PC and Mahinda Samyawardhena unanimously endorsed the SLMC decision to expel Ahamed.
Kariapper, who received the appointment as SLMC Secretary in Sept. 2017 said that the SC ruling would encourage political parties to follow proper procedures in dealing with members voting against specific party decisions.
Responding to another query, Kariapper said that two other SLMC MPs, H. M. M. Harees (Digamadulla), Faizal Cassim (Didamadulla) had voted for Budget 2022 along with MP Ahamed. “We didn’t press for legal action against them as both of them later apologised and assured they wouldn’t act contrary to decisions taken by the party,” Kariapper said. Five SLMCers were elected to Parliament on the SJB ticket at the last parliamentary election in Aug. 2020.
Budget 2024 will be presented by President Ranil Wickremesinghe, in his capacity as the Finance Minister, on 13 Nov.
The debate on the Second Reading of the Budget will be held from 14 to 21 Nov., and the voting on the Second Reading is scheduled to be held in the afternoon of 21 Nov.
The vote on the Third Reading is scheduled to be held on 13 Dec. Wickremesinghe with just one UNP MP in the current Parliament is dependent on the SLPP, which is still the largest parliamentary group.
Kariapper alleged that one-time Eastern Province Chief Minister Ahamed had sought to sidestep the issue by not responding to a show-cause letter thereby effectively blocking a proper inquiry. “We are pretty confident that the MPs Harees and Cassim won’t act against party directives,” Kariapper said.Asked whether ex-MP Ahamed would seek a fuller bench of the SC to review the decision, Kariapper said that interested
parties had floated that idea, but such a move was unlikely. Three members of All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC) namely Muszhaaraff Muthunabeen, Ishaq Rahman and Ali Sabri Raheem voted for Budget 2022. ACMC leader and former minister Rishad Bathiudeen, MP, declared disciplinary action against them though the party didn’t pursue legal action against them. Bathiuden didn’t answer his mobile phone yesterday.
Kariapper said the SJB and its constituents could announce their decision on the forthcoming budget vote at proper forum and inform all MPs, including Labour and Foreign Employment Minister Manusha Nanayakkara, Tourism and Lands Minister Harin Fernando and State Tourism and Minister Dayana Gamage. The SLMC official pointed out that Nanayakkara and Fernando, elected on the SJB ticket, had moved the Supreme Court against the party’s decision to expel them.
SLFP rebels who received ministerial portfolios at the expense of the party too would be in a dilemma, political sources said.
Kariapper said that in his capacity as the Secretary, SLMC, he had already informed Chairman of the Election Commission and Secretary General of Parliament Kushani Rohanadeera of the SLMC’s decision to appoint Ali Zahir Moulana in place of unseated Ahamed.
Commissioner General of Elections Saman Sri Ratnayake told The Island that once the Supreme Court brought the decision pertaining to MP Ahamed to the notice of the General Secretary, her office would inform the Election Commission. “Once the EC receives the Secretary General’s indication in this regard, we’ll ask the Returning Officer, Batticaloa, to name Ahamed’s replacement.”
R.M.A.L. Rathnayake, a former Additional Commissioner General of Elections, recently received the appointment as the Chairman of the Election Commission. President Ranil Wickrejmesinghe appointed M.A. Pathmasiri Chandrawansha Perera and Ameer Mohommed Faiz as members of the EC whereas one vacancy remained.
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
