News
PM: MPs appointed to parliament committees can elect chairpersons
By Saman Indrajith
Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday told Parliament that the MPs appointed as members of parliamentary committees including the Committee on Public Finance (PFC), Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) and Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) could elect the Chairmen of the respective committees at their own will.
The Prime Minister said so while responding to a query raised by Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa on the Premier’s stance on the appointment of the chairman for the three committees. MP Premadasa made the query after the matter was brought up by SJB Kurunegala District MP Nalin Bandara Jayamaha.
Jayamaha raising a point of order said that under standing order 103 the Speaker should appoint the chairman to each Special Committee. He said that it was the tradition in the Parliament to appoint chairman of the COPA and COPE from the Opposition. He queried if the newly elected Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena would follow the tradition.
The Speaker in response said that those committees mentioned by MP Jayamaha were not Special Committees.
MP Jayamaha:
At least would you follow the tradition in the Parliament?
Speaker Abeywardena:
“They are not Select Committees. So, the Chairmen should be elected by the members of the respective committees.
Opposition leader Sajith Premadasa said that following the British Parliamentary tradition, the chairmen of COPA, COPE and Committee on Public Finance (PFC) were appointed from the Opposition side members. “Would the same tradition be followed now?”
Speaker Abeywardena observed that the matter could be decided at the Select Committee.
The Opposition Leader queried what the stance of the Prime Minister Rajapaksa was on the issue.
Leader of the House and Minister Dinesh Gunawardena said that the stance of the Prime Minister was that the appointments should be made as instructed by the Speaker. Those Committees consisted of members not only from the government side but from the other parties in the opposition. So the Opposition Leader could not make decisions himself and he should consult others.
Minister Bandula Gunawardena said that he contested to be the Chairman of the PFC while he was in the opposition during the Good Governance government. He added that the post was not given to the opposition but to M. A. Sumanthiran. “That was the ground reality,” Minister Gunawardena said.
State Minister Nimal Lanza said that the appointment of the Chairmen to the COPE, COPA and PFC was the right of their members. He asked the Opposition Leader to allow the MPs to exercise their right.
State Minister S. B. Dissanayake said that during the Good Governance government the chairman of COPA was Minister Lasantha Alagiyawanna. The tradition had been breached by the Good Governance government.
The Opposition Leader attempted to speak further on the matter but the Speaker prevented him doing so, stating that he would not allow wasting the time of the Parliament any more.
“My query is if the tradition should be followed,” the Opposition Leader queried.
Prime Minister Rajapaksa said that such a tradition as the Opposition Leader said had not been followed in Parliament. He added that at times the chairman position had been granted to the Opposition and sometimes to the government side.
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
