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EX-SIS chief insists he could not inform President Sirisena of Easter Sunday intelligence
By AJA Abeynayake
Former State Intelligence Service head and incumbent Senior DIG of the Central Province Nilantha Jayawardena told the court yesterday that information received from foreign agencies of possible terror attacks on Easter Sunday could not be processed into intelligence.
Therefore, he had not been able to hand over an intelligence report on the matter to the then IGP Pujith Jayasundera, SDIG Jayawardena said.
SDIG Jayawardena testified at the Colombo Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar in the case filed against former IGP Pujith Jayasundara and former Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando, who are charged under 855 counts individually with failing to prevent the 2019 April 21 terror attacks.
Jayawardena also said that he did not report the matter as an intelligence report to the then political administration including President, the Prime Minister or State Defence Minister. He said so in answer to questions by Attorney-at-Law Roshan Dehiwela, counsel for former IGP Jayasundera.
Jayawardena said it had not been possible to develop information about possible attacks received from foreign sources on April 04, 2019 into an intelligence report by April 21, 2019. Information could not be converted into intelligence as per the wish of intelligence agencies, he added.
He said that he had written to investigating agencies including the CID that religious extremists led by Zahran should be arrested.
He however admitted in the court that a suspect could not be taken into custody solely on the basis of an intelligence report.
Asked whether he at least tried to send an SMS to the President about such a warning, Jayawardena said that he had tried to connect the President via the telephone operators at the President’s House but he could not send an SMS to the latter, who did not use a mobile phone.
The case that was taken up in the presence of Justices Namal Balalle, Aditya Patabendige, and Mohamed Irshadeen was postponed to 18 Jan, 2022. In addition to DIG Jayawardena, IGP C. D. Wickramaratne also testified in court yesterday.
IGP Wickramaratne told the court that the Inspector General of Police must conduct investigations on intelligence received and then follow up to protect the country.
“In order to take action on the information given by the State Intelligence Service, those pieces of information need not be definite intel. They need not be 100% accurate. There needs to be faith in the information and quick response is needed,” the IGP testified in court.
The Inspector General of Police was not just a public officer paid by the state and he was responsible for maintaining law and order and safeguarding national security, the IGP said, adding that the police chief must personally look into the intelligence information concerning national security.
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
