News
Party leaders confident Speaker will act impartially, protect all MPs’ rights and privileges
By Saman Indrajith
With a total of 15 different political parties represented in the Ninth Parliament of Sri Lanka, there were early indications on Thursday during the brief speeches made to congratulate the newly appointed Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena of the balancing act that would be needed to ensure the smooth functioning of the legislature.
Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa led the House in congratulating the newly elected Speaker and said that with more than three decades as a legislator, Parliament will be in safe hands under him. “You will be mindful that you are the third citizen of this country now. You have the will and strength to be an impartial and fair Speaker,” he said.
Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa said the newly elected Speaker had always acted with dignity, integrity and honour and the House was extremely honoured to have him in that exalted position. “We believe you will be just and fair. This is indispensable for a flourishing democracy,” Premadasa said.
“This institution represents the will of the people. The voice of the voiceless. And you as guardian angel of Parliament, we believe you will ensure that the people’s sovereignty is protected and enhanced.”
TNA parliamentary group leader R. Sampanthan said that with the Speaker, with his long experience as a legislator would act efficiently and effectively in an impartial manner. He said the TNA would extend its maximum cooperation to the Speaker.
Former Northern Province Chief Minister, C V Wigneswaran, who was elected as the Jaffna District MP from the Tamil People’s National Alliance or TMTK, in his speech, noted that there was a very powerful government now, similar to the one constituted under the late J. R. Jayewardene in 1977. It was during that regime that we had the 1983 pogrom. “Certainly, this government too could follow the example of the Elephant of that time, and end up as today, reduced to a single member in the future, but I’m sure they would not. They would prefer to learn from the mistakes of the past and usher in a period of peace and prosperity where all communities would feel equal to each other and walk with dignity and pride as children of Mother Lanka.”
Wigneswaran said, “Freedom and equality could only dawn if we shed the false historical perspectives of the past and recognise the rights of the people living in the North and East of Sri Lanka who are entitled to the right of self-determination as per Article 1 of Chapter 1 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, in addition to their hereditary and traditional right to be recognized as a nation.
“We are sure you will guide us all without fear or favour if any such impasse comes to past.”
Tamil National People’s Front (TNPF) Jaffna District MP Gajan Ponnambalam said: “In a House that is so heavily weighted on one side, it is the responsibility of the Speaker to ensure that as debates that reflect different mandates given to parties by voters are respected and treated with fairness.
“We must not forget that all parties represented in this House come here today with their respective mandates. Those mandates must be respected, those mandates must be voiced, the mandate must be respected and due place must be given.”
Thamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP) Batticaloa District MP Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan who came to Parliament from remand prison pledged to work in cooperation with the government during his speech congratulating the new Speaker.
He also sought the Speaker’s intervention to ensure that he was allowed to attend Parliament without any hindrance. “The Attorney General (AG) has said I will need to get permission from the Court each day I want to attend Parliament but this is not possible. I hope I will be allowed to attend sittings without any hindrance.”
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
