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Chief Whip asks Opposition to learn from other countries and cooperate with govt. in Easter Sunday probe
Chief Government Whip and Highways Minister Johnston Fernando yesterday said that the Opposition Leader and his group in the SJB should learn from the examples of their counterparts in other democracies and support the investigations into the Easter Sunday carnage instead of acting like a headless chicken.
Addressing the media after attending a meeting to review the measures in place against Covid-19 in the Kurunegala District at Wilgoda SLPP office, the Minister said that Opposition parties in other countries had placed the national interests above their petty party agendas and politics.
“This could be seen in all other democracies. But take a look at our Opposition; it only looks for opportunities to raise wild allegations as regards the ongoing investigations into the Easter Sunday terror attacks. They are now protesting against the arrest of Rishad Bathiudeen.”
Fernando asked people to recall how the same political leaders had scoffed at the military operations during the time of the war, thinking that the LTTE was invincible. It is the very same people now demanding the release of Bathiudeen. The Opposition Leader and his men should be ashamed of their behaviour. The Easter Sunday carnage happened due to their blunders, and now they are trying to derail the ongoing investigations. Recently, religious and civil organisations got exposed for trying to drag Catholic people into their protests. Don’t they have an iota of concern for the national security of this country?”
He had called on numerous occasions, both in and outside Parliament, on the Opposition to support the government at least in the Easter Sunday carnage investigations, Minister Fernando said. “We extended our hand in good faith, but there seems to be no way we can knock some sense into the Opposition.
“We have let the law take its own course. There could be more arrests. That is up to the law enforcing agencies and investigators to decide whom to be arrested. Those guilty and responsible for the heinous crime will have to be punished. The government does not operate on the laws of Ranjan Ramanayake or Sajith Premadasa. Investigations were never this fast. What happened to the commission reports on the killings of Lalith Athulathmudali and Gen. Denzil Kobbekaduwa?” the Minister queried.
Fernando said that the yahapalana government had sacrificed the lives of people to maintain their electoral base. “It seems that our Opposition leader is ready to sacrifice even the lives of all the people in this country to get at the power to rule it.”
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
