News
NFE deal at risk over privilege matter raised by Ranil
by Saman Indrajith
A privilege matter raised by UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe in Parliament last week relating to the government’s agreement with US-based New Fortress Energy (NFE) places the entire deal at risk, parliamentary sources said.
Raising a privilege issue, Wickremesinghe claimed that the framework agreement between the Government and New Fortress Energy Sri Lanka Power Holdings LCC had been entered into in violation of the powers, privileges and immunity of Parliament. He called on the Government to make a full disclosure to the House.
The UNP leader identified clauses in the agreement breaching the powers and privileges of Parliament. Among these, Clause 8 on ‘Confidentiality and Announcement’, states that for five years, either party shall not without the prior written consent of the other parties disclose to any person any information.
The permitted disclosures are in regard to the order of a court, arbitration tribunal or an order or decree, rule and regulation of any ‘governmental authority’. “It makes reference to ‘governmental authority’, but Parliament is not a government authority. It is the legislature. Therefore, the minister cannot obtain information under this joint venture agreement for the purpose of disclosing it to Parliament,” Wickremesinghe said.
He requested Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena to summon the Treasury Secretary, Directors of New Fortress Energy Sri Lanka Power Holdings LLC, and Attorney General to discuss the framework agreement on LNG supply.
Parliament sources said that once an MP presents a privilege matter in the House, the Speaker must announce within a couple of days that the matter would be referred to the Privileges Committee of Parliament. “The Speaker did not make such an announcement so far,” a committee member told the Sunday Island.
“After it is referred to the committee it is for us to decide whether the privilege of an MP has been breached and recommend action. Given the prevailing situation, it is most likely the committee would rule in favour of the UNP leader because even some government members in the Privileges Committee have voiced their opposition to this agreement,” he said.
The 12-member Ethics and Privileges Committee of Parliament comprises of six from the government and six from the opposition. They are Tharaka Balasuriya, M .U. M. Ali Sabry, Vijitha Berugoda, Kanaka Herath, Anuradha Jayaratne, Kabir Hashim, G. G. Ponnambalam, Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, A. Aravindh Kumar, Velu Kumar, Kokila Gunawardene, Premitha Bandara Tennakoon, Shan Vijayalal de Silva, C.V. Wigneswaran, Gevindu Cumaratunga and Prof. Ranjith Bandara.
Parliament sources said that the Article 4 (c) of the constitution provides an exception to the rule that judicial power of the people should be exercised by Parliament through the courts. In matters relating to parliamentary privileges, parliament itself directly exercises a degree of judicial power.
The provisions of the Parliament (Powers and Privileges) Act No 21 of 1953 and its subsequent amendments, the Supreme Court as well as the Parliament has jurisdiction to hear cases relating to breaches of privileges.
The Ethics and Privileges Committee can examine all matters relating to privilege with reference to the facts of each case and decide whether there has been any breach, if so its nature and circumstances and make such recommendations as the committee may deem fit.
The committee is empowered to send for persons, documents and other records and do everything necessary for the fullest investigation of the matters referred to it, these sources said.
“The legitimacy of the agreement is being questioned and has already been challenged in the Supreme Court. There are some Privileges Committee members belonging to the government who consider that this agreement is against the national interest. It is most unlikely that the issue would be decided in favour of the government if Wickremesinghe’s privilege matter is referred to the committee by the Speaker.
“That will certainly upset the apple cart,” he said on Friday.
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
