News
EC suggests minor amendment to pave the way for PC polls
Sri Lanka’s Amb. in Myanmar calls for scrapping of PCs
SLPP reiterated its commitment to fresh elections
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Election Commission Chief attorney-at-law Nimal Punchihewa yesterday (16) said that the government could easily pave the way for Provincial Council polls by effecting a simple amendment to the Provincial Councils Act.
Punchihewa said so in response to The Island query whether the EC was making preparations for PC polls in the wake of its five members meeting Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa.
Punchihewa said that as a new Act in respect of PCs had been endorsed in Parliament during the previous administration, polls couldn’t be held in the absence of a delimitation process.
Therefore, the polls couldn’t be conducted in terms of the new Act in the foreseeable future, the EC Chairman said. The only feasible strategy was to introduce an amendment to suspend the new Act pending the conclusion of polls in terms of the previous Act, the lawyer said.
Asked how fast the EC could move in case they secured the parliamentary approval as suggested by him, a confident Punchihewa said that arrangements could be finalized within 10 to 12 weeks.
Punchihewa said that the required amendment could be approved with a simple majority.
The top official explained that the PC system had been fully functional though elections weren’t held for any of the nine councils.
“In spite of the absence of elected representatives, respective Governors and relevant officials operate the system,” Punchihewa said. The EC Chief dismissed the much-touted claim that the PC system had collapsed for want of elections.
Punchihewa emphasized that the decision on PC polls rested with the government. The official expressed the view that the continuation of the Governors reflected the actual situation.
However, some of those who backed the SLPP at the 2019 presidential and 2020 general elections were strongly opposed to PC polls.
Sri Lanka’s Ambassador in Myanmar Prof. Nalin de Silva has called for scrapping of what he called an utterly wasteful system. Ambassador de Silva declared that in the absence of elected PCs, the 13th Amendment to the Constitution had been automatically abolished. Therefore, the much controversial 13th plus proposal, too, had been done away, Ambassador de Silva said, declaring there was no basis for assertion that democracy could be achieved by way of implementation of the PCs system.
Ambassador de Silva also questioned the proposed PC polls against the backdrop of the government undertaking a high profile project to introduce a new Constitution.
The retired Professor said that Sri Lanka shouldn’t bend backwards to appease India hell-bent on pursuing its despicable strategy here though it failed to implement the Indo-Lanka Accord of 1987.
Against the backdrop of India’s failure to disarm the LTTE within the stipulated time, there was no point in talking about the so called Indo-Lanka Accord, the academic said.
Declaring that the PCs didn’t serve any purpose, Ambassador de Silva pointed out that the PC system accommodated hundreds of politicians and paved the way for some to enter Parliament.
Referring to Thamil Makkal Thesiya Kutani leader C.W. Wigneswaran’s entry into parliamentary politics, Ambassador de Silva pointed out how the former Supreme Court judge exploited his position as the Northern province Chief Minister to launch a political party.
The Ambassador urged the government not to succumb to Indian pressure as the 13th Amendment lacked any legal status in the absence of functioning PCs.
SLPP General Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam, MP, explained that as long as the 13th Amendment remained part of the Constitution, elections would have to be conducted and PCs empowered fully to serve the people. National List MP Kariyawasam pointed out that the government allocated a significant amount of funds for the PCs through the annual budget. Pointing out that funds had been allocated through the 2021 budget to PCs, too, lawmaker Kariyawasam emphasized that functioning PCs couldn’t be indefinitely run by Governors and officials, therefore polls would have to be held.
MP Kariyawasam stressed that the SLPP’s position on PCs was clear. There was absolutely no ambiguity in respect of the SLPP’s desire to conduct PC polls as quickly as possible to ensure proper public participation in the process.
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
