News
Talks underway with dissident SLPPers: Chief Opp. Whip
2024 presidential contest:
by Shamindra Ferdinando
Chief Opposition Whip Lakshman Kiriella, MP, yesterday (21) said that the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) was having discussions with two dozen SLPP MPs who had indicated their willingness to close ranks with the main opposition party ahead of the forthcoming presidential election.
The Kandy District lawmaker said that the SLPP parliamentary group was in a dilemma as an influential section of it openly backed incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s candidature at the next presidential election.
The latest to declare his support for President Wickremesinghe is Chief Government Whip Prasanna Ranatunga, who holds Urban Development and Housing portfolios.
A statement issued by the Urban Development and Housing Ministry quoted Minister Ranatunga as having told a group of ex-members of local government authorities in Minuwangoda and Gampaha, on January 15, that he felt that the incumbent President should be given an opportunity to rebuild the national economy. Minister Ranatunga warned his party of dire consequences of conducting political experiments at this juncture.
The SJB was confident that except for those who had switched their allegiance to the government earlier there wouldn’t be any fresh crossovers, MP Kiriella said. The SJB early last year declared its leader Sajith Premadasa’s candidature at the 2024 presidential poll.
Of the 54 member SJB parliamentary group, Diana Gamage (National List), Harin Fernando (NL), Manusha Nanayakkara (Galle district) and Vadivel Suresh (Badulla district) so far have joined the government. A. H. M. Fowzie, who succeeded Mujibur Rahuman as Colombo District MP early last year when the latter resigned to contest local government polls has also joined the government.
MP Kiriella said that since the UNP leader had received appointment as the Premier in the second week of May 2022, various UNP spokespersons at different forums declared that groups of SJB MPs were on the verge of switching allegiance to the government. Pointing out that MP Diana Gamage had joined the government during Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s presidency, MP Kiriella said that Manusha Nanayakkara and Harin Fernando had done so before the SLPP elected Wickremesinghe as President in July 2022 to complete the remainder of Gotabaya Rajapakasa’s five -year term.
Asked whether the JVP-led NPP posed a challenge to the SJB, Kiriella said that he didn’t want to comment on the weaknesses of that party, but would like to point out that their candidate Sajith Premadasa, who contested under the symbol of New Democratic Front (NDF) at the last presidential election, had secured 41.99 (5,564,239 votes) whereas Anura Kumara Dissanayake (NMPP) had polled just 3.16% (418,553) of the total number of valid votes.
MP Kiriella pointed out that the NPP parliamentary group consisted of only three members, including one National List lawmaker.
Referring to the indefinitely postponed Local Government polls which should have been held in March 2023, Kiriella said that both the SLPP and the UNP feared to face the electorate. The government acted contrary to a specific Supreme Court ruling issued in March last year pertaining to LG polls, MP Kiriella said, adding the SLPP would end up backing Wickremesinghe in a bid to avoid another split.
Responding to another query, MP Kiriella said that the SJB would take government party members whose views on matters of national importance were compatible with that of the SJB.
Prof. G. L. Peiris, Dilan Perea and Dr. Nalaka Godahewa of the dissident SLPP group recently followed Chandima Weerakkody to the SJB. Galle District MP Weerakkody is the first SLPPer to switch allegiance to the SJB after differences of opinion with the top party leadership.
MP Weerakkody yesterday told The Island that he had abandoned the SLPP at an early stage as he felt President Gotabaya Rajapaksa was leading the country on the path to destruction.
Kiriella said that the SJB was going ahead with preparations for the presidential election. The former UNPer said that regardless of whatever propaganda disseminated by the SLPP, the fact remains that the Supreme Court found fault with the Gotabaya Rajapaksa government for the current economic crisis. The electorate wouldn’t tolerate the UNP with just one National List MP in Parliament tying up with the SLPP, MP Kiriella said.
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
