News
Parliament unable to confirm Chief Govt. Whip’s claim that sittings cost Rs.10 mn a day
Depts. of Catering and Housekeeping and Admin. account for more than 50% of total employees
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Chief of Staff and Deputy Secretary General of the Parliament G.K.A. Chaminda Kumara Kularatne said that the Parliament was not aware of the basis Chief Government Whip Prasanna Ranatunga, MP, declared that a day’s proceedings cost Rs 10 mn.
Attorney-at-law Kularatne said so in response to The Island query submitted to Parliament in terms of the Right to Information Act (RIT) of No 12 of 2016. The Chief of Staff, who is also the RTI Officer, said that the Parliament declined to answer the query in line with the RTI Act 3(1) as it didn’t have the relevant information the newspaper sought. Kularatne received the appointment on Sept 19, 2023.
The Island on Dec 18, 2023, sought an explanation from Parliament regarding Gampaha District lawmaker Ranatunga’s declaration in Parliament that the main Opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) squandered Rs 10 mn by sabotaging the special debate on the VAT (Amendment) Bill on Dec 10. The SLPP heavyweight said so during a heated argument with SJB and Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa.
During Karu Jayasuriya’s tenure as the Speaker (2015-2019) the UNPer is on record as having said that a day’s proceedings cost taxpayer over Rs 4 mn.
Parliament responded to a set of queries posed by The Island on Feb 09, 2024 well after the stipulated period meant to answer RTI queries.
Responding to another query, the RTI Officer claimed it wouldn’t be possible to specifically disclose a day’s cost as such estimates weren’t made. Kularatne attributed their inability to the entire staff of Parliament reporting to work in working days other than the days’ sessions were held. Parliament meets eight days a month in the first and third weeks though this does not apply to the months of November and December in view of the budget presentation and the continuous debates.
Kularatne said that in the absence of an estimate of a day’s cost the queries whether at party leaders’ level decisions had been taken to reduce expenditure and for eight sittings in a month cost Rs 80 mn were irrelevant.
Asked for expenditure incurred during the last Budget and the total number of dates the Parliament met in that regard, Kularatne said that though sittings were held on 23 days (from Nov 23, 2023 to Dec 08, 2023) the estimated costs couldn’t be provided particularly because water, electricity and telephone bills were received monthly and advance preparations, too, have to be made.
Kularatne said that as explained previously, a day’s food and electricity costs couldn’t be estimated.
The Island also sought an explanation regarding measures taken by Parliament to reduce expenditure as part of the overall response to the continuing economic crisis. Kularatne emphasized that on the directions of the Speaker, leaders of all political parties, represented in Parliament, and the Secretary General of Parliament, all sections had taken measures to reduce expenditure incurred on water, electricity, air conditioning, fuel and stationery.
The official declined to compare the expenditure of the Sri Lanka Parliament and that of the region in terms of RTI Act 3(1). According to him, the query in respect of comparison of parliaments in this region was not covered by the relevant Act under which questions were posed to Parliament.
Responding to another query, the official said that as at January 23, 2024, the total number of Parliament employees was 847. According to the information received, the following is the breakdown of the setup: the Secretariat of Secretary General (07), Department of Serjeant-at-arms (126), Department of Administration 223, Department of Legislative Services (58), Department of Finance and Supplies (15), Hansard Department (72), Department of the Co-Coordinating Engineer (62), Department of Information Systems and Management (27), Department of Catering and Housekeeping (241) and Department of Communication (16).
Asked about information regarding overtime payments made to Parliament staff, Kularatne said that from February, 2024, drivers and assistants assigned for parliamentary staff had been allowed to make overtime claims. Earlier, overtime has been restricted to the drivers of the Speaker, Deputy Speaker and Chairman of Committees, Kularatne said, adding that overtime was being paid in terms of relevant Public Administration circulars and Presidential Secretaries CA 1/17/1 and PS/CSA/00/1/4/1 circulars dated May 14, 2010 and Sept. 09, 2022, respectively.
Kularatne said that all expenditure, under the heads of Parliament, was subjected to the Auditor General’s scrutiny.
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
