News
Prez wants PC polls held soon
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has directed the relevant parties to take steps to expedite the process of conducting the Provincial Council elections.
Currently, the Provincial Councils function without representatives elected by the people. The President emphasises the need to make people aware of this situation and pave the way for holding the elections immediately, the President’s Office has said.
The President made these comments at a meeting with the Provincial Council Forum representing the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna at the Presidential Secretariat on March 12.
President Rajapaksa said the decisions taken during the past 15 months aimed at realising policies of the party and promises made to the people while prioritising national, internal and security interests of the country.
Given below are excerpts of the statement from the President’s Office: “Every time a nationalist government came into power, hostile local and foreign forces attempted to effect regime change. President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s administration was defeated by misleading the public with false propaganda. It is vital to understand how catastrophic were the setbacks suffered by the country in the last five years. The people of this country remember how the Buddhist monks and war heroes were harassed and intimidated in the recent past.
These forces have become active again in an attempt to sabotage the government’s policies and their implementation. The President emphasized the importance of educating the public about the consequences they will have to suffer if they were to be deceived by these falsehoods.
The government had carried out a smooth operation in eradicating underworld activities and the drug menace while ensuring national security. A concrete foundation for an employment generating and agriculture-based economy has already been laid.
Opposition expresses mixed opinions on the Report of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry into the Easter Sunday attacks. Steps were taken to continue the operations of the Commission with the consent and confidence of His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith. The Report, which was handed over on 1st of February to the President, was presented to the Cabinet and Parliament within 28 days. But the Opposition is attempting to spread falsehoods claiming that the government is trying to hide the Commission’s Report. All the details in the report, except for the matters concerning national security have been made public.
The MCC agreement, which caused a great deal of controversy, has been withdrawn. Sri Lanka withdrew from the co-sponsorship of the Geneva Human Rights Council resolution on reconciliation, accountability and the promotion of human rights in the country which could result in a major blow to war veterans and the country’s sovereignty. Nobody notices those achievements which benefited Motherland within such a short period of time after coming to power. Despite these odds, the President said that he was committed to the betterment of the country in accordance with the promises and policies placed before the people.”
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
