News
GL explains need to bring in 20 A in place of 19 A
by Shamindra Ferdinando
Education Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris on Sunday (30) said that those opposed to the government was busy propagating the lie that enactment of 20th Amendment in place of the 19th would be a massive setback to parliamentary democracy.
Addressing a gathering in Kandy, Prof. Peiris said that it would be the responsibility of the government to inform the people of why the 20 was being brought in.
Prof. Peiris, who is also the Chairman of the ruling SLPP said that their opponents were attempting to mislead the public by claiming either doing away or amending the 19th Amendment, was a treacherous act that undermined democracy.
Prof. Peiris said that the 19th Amendment was meant to cause chaos. The law academic asked whether the decision to deprive legally elected President with a massive mandate from holding defence portfolio or any other portfolio could be justified under any circumstances.
Prof. Peiris pointed out that former President Maithripala Sirisena had been allowed to hold defence and some other portfolios as an interim measure depriving his successor of exercising authority of a minister.
The former law professor emphasized that the depriving the President of the right to hold defence portfolio was even contrary to the Constitution
Referring to the relevant section of Article 3 and 4 of the Constitution, Prof. Peiris that the country’s supreme law was very clear about the powers of the President.
In Article 4 where the sovereignty of the people has been dealt with, specified as follows in Sub Article 4b: “The executive power of the People, including the defence of Sri Lanka, shall be exercised by the President of the Republic elected by the People.”
Prof. Peiris also found fault with the 19th Amendment for denying the government power to introduce emergency bills. The Education Minister said that in such a scenario the government would find it difficult to secure parliamentary approval in a real emergency such as 2019 Easter Sunday attacks.
The SLPP Chairman discussed how the continuing clashes, disputes between the then President Sirisena and Premier Wickremesinghe rapidly deteriorated to such an extent the government conveniently refrained from acting on ‘actionable’ intelligence to thwart near simultaneous suicide attacks.
Prof. Peiris alleged that the battle between them erupted as a result of the 19th Amendment. If not for the 19th Amendment creating an environment of hostility leading to major security lapse, the Easter Sunday attacks could have been prevented, the SLPP Chairman said.
The Education Minister said that the 20th Amendment was needed to give back required powers to the President as the 19th Amendment denied him authority. Prof. Peiris explained how the 10-member Constitutional Council and so-called independent commissions deprived the executive President of powers he was entitled to.
The Education Minister criticized the conduct of member of the Election Commission Prof. Ratnajeevan Hoole and Constitutional Council member and attorney-at-law Javid Yusuf for taking stand contrary to their mandate. Prof. Peiris pointed out that in spite of changing of President, Prime Minister and members of the cabinet, those appointed to Independent Commissions remained. They couldn’t be removed, Prof. Peiris said, underscoring the need to educate the public of the actual situation.
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
