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SL risks expulsion from OGP over Online Safety Bill, etc.
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Sri Lanka runs the risk of being expelled from the ‘Open Government Partnership’ (OGP) over its decision to enact the controversial ‘Online Safety Bill’ (OSB) and also go ahead with another contentious piece of proposed draconian legislation, titled Anti-Terrorism Bill. Sources said it would be inevitable unless a consensus could be reached with co-convenors -Transparency International Sri Lanka and Sarvodaya Shramadama Movement (SSM) – to end their boycott formulating the third National Action Plan (NAP) meant to improve good governance and financial accountability.
The OGP includes nearly 80 countries, including the US, the UK and many of their allies.
The NAP was to be submitted to the Cabinet by President Ranil Wickremesinghe this month. The Presidential Secretariat spearheaded the effort, under the leadership of Assistant Secretary to the President, Chandima Wickramasinghe.
President Wickremesinghe recently directed the formulation of the NAP, thereby paving the way for two workshops and general agreement on the contents of the NAP.
Attorney-at-Law Nadishani Perera, Executive Director, TISL, and Dr. Vinya Ariyaratne, President, SSM, in a joint letter dated Feb 8, 2024, warned President Wickremesinghe of their decision to quit the project as the recent developments, such as enactment of OSB, and the proposed anti-terrorism law, were contrary to what they called fundamental principles of the IGP. They alleged the new laws undermined the core tenets of open governance, transparency and accountability thereby eroded their confidence in the overall process.
Parliament passed the OSB on January 24 following a two-day debate, with 108 government members voting for and 62 voting against. Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena ratified the new law on Feb 2, regardless of Opposition protests.
On behalf of the civil society community, TISL and SSM, in their letter pointed out to the President his government enacted the new OSB, disregarding specific recommendations mandated by the Supreme Court in respect of five sections in the Bill.
Reiterating their demand to invalidate the enacted online law and anti-terrorism bill, they declared their intention to return to the process if the government took tangible measures to address their concerns. The spokespersons sought a clear commitment from President Wickremesinghe to what they called open, accountable, participatory governance in good faith and creation of an environment conducive to the exercise of civil liberties.
Political sources asserted that the NGO community could extend their protest campaign to other sectors as well. Sources said that the Human Rights Commission, in a letter to Speaker Abeywardena, has entirely validated the stand taken by the Opposition and the civil society as regards the OSB.
The Island learns that the government has written to OGP Secretariat seeking clarification as regards the TISL and SSM action, in a bid to explore ways and means of overcoming the hurdle placed by the NGO community. Sources said that Sri Lanka couldn’t thwart OGP declaring the country ‘inactive’ next month in the absence of a NAP but there was a kind of grace period of about one year to submit a plan. Failure could result in the country losing OGP membership, sources said.
In spite of entering the OGP process in 2015, Sri Lanka couldn’t achieve what it intended to as a result of the failure on the part of successive governments. The latest stalled effort is the third initiative and widely reported as President Wickremesinghe’s initiative, sources 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
