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TISL prepares brief for Personal Data Protection Bill
The government is planning to introduce a Bill on Personal Data Protection to regulate the processing of personal data, while identifying and strengthening the rights of data subjects in relation to the protection of personal data.
Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL) says, in a statement, that it has taken steps to create a legislative brief on the proposed Personal Data Protection bill of 2021 and has highlighted a number of recommendations that law makers should take into consideration when enacting this Bill into law.
The creation of a legal framework on personal data protection was necessary to safeguard human rights, especially at a time when information has become both a tool to be used by the people and against them.
The TISL thanks all the stakeholders who were involved in the drafting of the Personal Data Protection bill of 2021. The legislative brief highlights TISL’s five key recommendations for the Bill to become an effective law.
The recommendations are as follows.
1. Include a specific exception to ensure that the Right to Information Act is not overridden in case of an inconsistency.
2. Establish an independent Data Protection Authority.
3. Harmonize the understanding of ‘personal data’ between the Personal Data Protection Bill and the Right to Information Act. Such an amendment would ensure that when a request is made to obtain information under the Right to Information Act, the possibility that the request clashes with the Personal Data Protection Bill is minimized.
4. Remove ‘Financial Data’ and ‘Personal Data Relating to Offences, Criminal Proceedings and Convictions’ from the list of special categories of personal data. This will ensure that people’s right to access information pertaining to corruption and malpractices is not infringed.
5. Recognize ‘Journalistic purpose’ as a legitimate condition to process data.
The main purpose of these recommendations was to prevent the possibility that this particular Bill could in effect infringe on the Right to Information of the citizens of this country.
TISL’s Executive Director Nadishani Perera commenting on the importance of the proposed recommendations stated that, “If the law relating to Personal Data Protection infringes on the law relating to the Right to Information, there is a possibility that the public could lose faith in both of these laws. This could also lead to confusion between the agencies tasked with upholding these laws. Therefore, it is of paramount importance that steps are taken to amend the proposed legislation in order to ensure that both pieces of legislation are able to accomplish their expected goals”
It must also be highlighted that the establishment of an independent Data Protection Authority is vital to ensuring that the new legislation would not be abused by individuals or groups who aim to use the legislation to the detriment of the public.
Copies of the legislative brief created by TISL have been sent to Legal Draftsman Dilrukshi Samaraweera as well as Jayantha Fernando who heads the committee that drafted the Bill on Personal Data Protection.
The drafting of the Personal Data Protection Bill commenced in 2018. By December 2019 the bill was submitted for Cabinet approval and subsequently Cabinet approval was granted in January 2020.The original Draft Bill was also reviewed by the Attorney General and the drafting committee was able to incorporate all recommendations made by the Attorney General by October 2020.
The right to information as well as the right to ensure the security of personal data are both vital in a democratic framework. In such a backdrop TISL calls on the lawmakers of Sri Lanka to ensure that enacted legislation does not infringe upon any one of these rights.
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
