News
Prison raids: Police yet to record State Minister’s statement
MP Rasamanickam says prisoners awaiting transfer to North
By shamindra Ferdinando
Police haven’t yet sought a statement from State Minister of Gem and Jewellery related Industries, Lohan Ratwatte as regards a complaint lodged by the Committee for Protecting Rights of Prisoners, in respect of incidents at the Anuradhapura prison on the evening of Sept. 12.
The civil society group, in its complaint, dated 16 Sept. to the CID, hasn’t referred to the incidents at the Welikada prison, also blamed on the then State Minister of Prison Management and Prisoners’ Rehabilitation, Lohan Ratwatte. The Kandy District lawmaker relinquished State Ministry of Prison Management and Prisoners’ Rehabilitation though he denied ever causing mayhem in both prisons.
However, the Office of Anuradhapura SSP and the Office of Colombo South SP yesterday (6) told The Island that following instructions received from the Office of Senior, DIG, Crimes, they inquired into the incidents and submitted relevant reports. However, they haven’t recorded MP Ratwatte’s statement as there was no requirement to do so at the moment, Colombo South and Anuradhapura police said.
The Office of Senior DIG Crimes said that SSP Anuradhapura and SP Colombo South had been instructed to inquire into the incidents following instructions received from the Inspector General of Police C.D. Wickremaratne.
Public Security Minister Rear Admiral Sarath Weerasekera on Sept 17 asked IGP Wickremaratne to conduct an inquiry expeditiously into the complaint received on the previous day. Police headquarters acknowledged that there hadn’t been any other complaint, in addition to the one lodged by the Committee for Protecting Rights of Prisoners.
The Island learns that the Police Media hadn’t been so far informed of the progress of the inquiries though the alleged incidents received quite a bit coverage in both print and electronic media.
Authoritative sources said that the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) hadn’t been involved in the inquiry though Public Security Ministry statement issued on Sept. Attorney-at-Law Senaka Perera, who lodged the complaint with the CID on behalf of the Committee for Protecting Rights of Prisoners told The Island that the police didn’t seek at least to verify their complaint. The civil society activist said that they weren’t aware of the status of the investigation undertaken by the Human Rights Council and the inquiry conducted by retired High Court judge Kusala Sarojini Weerawardena into the incidents at Anuradhapura and Welikada Prisons.
Justice Minister Ali Sabry, PC, on Sept. 22 announced the appointment of retired Judge Weerawardena to inquire into the incidents. Minister Sabry yesterday told The Island that Ms. Weerawardena visited Anuradhapura prison and the inquiry conducted at the Justice Ministry was underway.
Nihal Chandrasiri, Actg. Director (Research and Monitoring), the media contact at the HRC wasn’t available for comment.
Political and legal sources said that in spite of repeated requests, those who had been threatened at gunpoint by lawmaker Ratwatte continued to be held at the Anuradhapura prison.
ITAK/TNA lawmaker Shanakiyan Rasamanickam who visited those threatened said that they requested immediate transfer to a prison in the north. Unfortunately, their request hadn’t been addressed so far, the Batticaloa District MP told The Island, referring to the assurance given by the Justice Minister Sabry in Parliament that the matter would be given serious consideration. MP Rasamanickam said that they were still hopeful the government would ensure their protection.
The first time entrant to Parliament said that the matter was taken up at an adjournment question yesterday.
The MP declined an offer made by Minister Sabry to move the prisoners concerned to two prisons in the South.
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
