News
SJB: Prorogation of Parliament aimed at handing over Trinco oil tank farm to India
Disclosure of New Fortress agreements has frigthened govt. – JVP
By Saman Indrajith
The sudden prorogation of Parliament is part of a secret plan to hand over the Trincomalee oil tank farm to India, says Chief Opposition Whip and SJB MP Lakshman Kiriella.
MP Kiriella told The Island yesterday that Parliament had to be kept open at present, given the enormity of the crisis the country was faced with. “The British Parliament continued to have sessions even while bombs were going off during World War II. The government is running away, unable to answer our questions on national issues, such as its clandestine deal with the US-based New Fortress Energy company. It is obvious that the government has a lot to hide from the legislators and the public,” Kiriella said, noting that the government would have to face reality after five weeks.
The Chief Opposition Whip said Parliament could not be kept closed indefinitely and the government had to face the problems instead of running away.
Meanwhile, former Kalutara District JVP MP Dr Nalinda Jayatissa said the stunning revelation his party leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake made in the House on Thursday had prompted the government to prorogue Parliament.
“The government was scared that there would be debate on the Yugadanavi agreement Comrade Anura Kumara Dissanayake tabled in Parliament,” he said.
Meanwhile, sources close to the government rebel factions said one of the reasons for the prorogation of parliament was to dissolve the parliamentary watchdog committee, COPE (Committee on Public Enterprises), which was probing the controversial divestiture of the Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology.
Once Parliament is prorogued parliamentary committees including COPE and COPA stand dissolved and new chairpersons have to be appointed to them when parliament reopens.
Deputy Secretary General of Parliament and Chief of Staff Kushani Rohandheera told The Island that a gazette notification the prorogation of Parliament had been issued by the Secretary to the President Dr. P.B Jayasundera.
The gazette notice states that by virtue of the powers vested in him by Article 70 of the Constitution, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, has prorogued Parliament with effect from midnight of Dec 12.
The President has declared that the next session of Parliament will be at 10 am on 18 Jan.
A prorogation is a temporary recess of Parliament which should not extend to a period of more than two months.
During the prorogation the Speaker continues to function and the Members retain their membership even though they do not attend meetings of Parliament.
The effect of a prorogation is to suspend all current Business before the House and all proceedings pending at the time are quashed except impeachments.
A Bill, motion or question of the same substance cannot be introduced for a second time during the same Session. However, it could be carried forward at a subsequent Session after a prorogation.
In terms of Standing Orders of Parliament No. 114, the Committee of Selection has to be appointed and therefore, all the Committees for Special Purposes cease to function during the recess or the prorogation of Parliament and all of them have to be reconstituted at the commencement of each Session of Parliament except the Committee on High Posts, Sectoral Oversight Committees and Select Committees of Parliament as per provisions of Standing Order of Parliament.
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
