News
EC Chief says not informed of LG polls postponement
SLPP Gen. Secy: Cabinet approval awaited; PAFFREL says move disastrous
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Election Commission Chairman Nimal Punchihewa, yesterday (24) said that in spite of recent media reports as regards the controversial government decision to put off scheduled Local Government polls, the EC hadn’t been informed so far.
Attorney-at-law Punchihewa said so in response to The Island query whether the EC had suspended ongoing preparations for LG polls scheduled to be conducted before 20 March, 2022.
The EC requires about four months to prepare for LG polls, the Elections Chief said, adding that he recently briefed the Special Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) on Electoral Reforms chaired by Chief Government
Whip Dinesh Gunawardena, MP, regarding their preparations for the forthcoming polls.
The EC consists of Nimal G. Punchihewa, S.B. Divaratne, M.M. Mohamad, K.P.P. Pathirana and Ms. P.S.M. Charles.
The EC Chairman acknowledged that he perused statements issued by Provincial Council and Local Government State Minister Roshan Ranasinghe regarding the polls postponement. However, the relevant State Ministry or the cabinet of ministers hadn’t so far informed the EC of its decision.
Last Local Government polls were conducted on Feb 10, 2018. The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna bagged the vast majority of 341 Local Government bodies at that election. Local Government polls are held every four years.
SLPP General Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam, MP, yesterday told The Island that the relevant cabinet paper had been submitted to the cabinet of ministers. Once approved, the EC would be informed, Attorney-at-Law Kariyawasam said.
Punchihewa said that the government enjoyed the constitutional power to put off Local Government polls up to one year. Responding to another query, the former member of the Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission said that the law permitted the government to postpone Local Government elections.
State Minister Ranasinghe is on record as having said that the growing threat posed by new Covid-19 variant omicron compelled the government to postpone scheduled elections.
Polls monitoring body PAFFREL said that whatever the reasons attributed to the polls postponement it was clear political reasons prompted the government decision. Executive Director, PAFFREL, Rohana Hettiarachchi said that previous administrations, including yahapalana resorted to postponement of elections. Hettiarachchi strongly advised against putting off elections as the country celebrated 90 years of franchise. Such strategies were nothing but an affront to the voting public, Hettiarachchi said, drawing the attention of the government to the importance of knowing public reaction to its policies. The failure to do so would be catastrophic, Hettiarachchi said, recalling how previous postponement of elections destabilized the country.
Hettiarachchi urged the government to face the scheduled elections or face the consequences.
The prominent civil society activist said that postponement of elections at any level would never give an advantage to the party in power.
Political sources said that the SLPP proposal to put off polls hadn’t been discussed among constituent members of the ruling coalition. Sources said that over two years after the last presidential election in Nov 2019 the coalition was yet to set up a mechanism to discuss policy matters and the ongoing dispute between the SLPP and a section of the constituents further deteriorated the situation.
Former Communist Party General Secretary Dew Gunasekera said that the move to put off Local Government polls should be examined against the backdrop of a spate of contentious issues ranging from fertilizer fiasco to Yugadanavi deal. The ex-minister said that the situation was extremely critical particularly due to the unprecedented crisis in debt servicing. The political environment underwent total transformation over the past 18 months, the veteran politician said, asserting that some might have felt election at any level would be disadvantageous to the ruling party.
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
