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‘One Country, One Law’ Presidential Task Force briefs three key Ministers on evidence it has so far gathered
The members of the Presidential Task Force for “One Country, One Law” recently met the Minister of Justice Ali Sabry, Foreign Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris and Minister of Public Security Rear Admiral (retd.) Sarath Weerasekera, and discussed the activities of the task force.
The Presidential Task Force noted the importance of implementing the “One Country, One Law” policy as stated in the President’s National policy framework ’Vistas of Prosperity and Splendour’, which states that a particular ethnic group should not be treated differently based on their ethnicity or religious views.
The three Ministers were briefed on the nationwide public consultations conducted so far and the manner in which evidence was recorded at the BMICH in Colombo. Minister of Justice Ali Sabry briefed the Task Force on the digitisation process initiated to expedite the administration of justice in the judiciary, new court complexes as well as regarding the new Acts introduced by the Ministry of Justice.
The Chairman of the Waqf Board also participated in the discussion at the invitation of Minister Ali Sabry and several issues raised by the public with the Task Force in connection with the Waqf Council were also discussed.
At the meeting held at the Foreign Ministry, Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris expressed his views regarding the government’s foreign policy and future international conferences to be represented on behalf of the Government and the Minister said that the proposals put forward by the Presidential Task Force on achieving the “One Country, One Law” concept would also be important for Sri Lanka’s international relations.
Since separatism has been defeated and Sri Lanka has been united as one nation, the importance of suppressing causes, if any, that leads to such incidents, was discussed at the meeting with the Minister of Public Security.
The Task Force was briefed on the actions taken by the Ministry to safeguard the public and Minister Sarath Weerasekera was briefed on the proposals on public security related issues received by the Task Force.
Public Security Minister Sarath Weerasekara said that the need for “one country, one law” arises because Sri Lanka was a unitary state and stressed the importance of having one law in the country to ensure national security.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa appointed the Presidential Task Force, headed by Ven. Galagodaaththe Gnanasara Thera, to study the views and opinions of various factions on the implementation of the concept of ‘One Country, One Law’ in Sri Lanka and present a concept paper with proposals. The Presidential Task Force is currently holding public consultations covering various parts of Sri Lanka and seeking views and suggestions.
Different organisations and individuals also expressed their views at the Task Force office located at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH) in Colombo. The Ministers, Secretaries to the Ministries and other officials were present at the meetings held at the Ministries of Justice, Foreign and Public Security. Chairman of the Task Force Ven. Galagodaaththe Gnanasara Thera and the members Prof. Shanthi Nandana Wijesinghe, Senior Lecturer Sumedha Weerawardena, Attorney-at-Law Sanjaya Marambe, Attorney-at-law Iresh Senaviratne, Eranda Navaratne, Pani Wewala and Khalil Rahuman and the Task Force Secretary Jeewanthi Senanayake were also present.
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
