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Abolish executive presidency and we’ll join govt.: Eran
SJB MP Eran Wickremaratne said in Parliament on Friday that if the Prime Minister agreed to the proposal to abolish the executive Presidency, as intimated in Parliament, the main opposition was ready to join an interim government at the invitation of the government and take up the responsibility of reviving the economy tomorrow.
“The SJB not only criticizes the government but also wants to make positive proposals to the government. I would like to propose that no more than two members of the same family should be appointed to the Cabinet,” he said.
Wickramaratne was speaking on the two-day debate on the current situation in the country. He said that prior to the discussion on the proposed interim government, action should be taken to eliminate distrust in the Government as the present government had lost its credibility nationally and internationally.
He urged that the Prime Minister, who applauded by thumping his table,when the Leader of the Opposition called for the abolition of the executive presidency, should submit a proposal immediately to get rid of the menace of the executive presidency. The main problem was the lack of trust in the government. If there was no international trust in the government it would not be able to solve any issues that erupts in governance.
The SJB did not participate in the All Party Conference but in Parliament it was ready to present solutions to the problems that had arisen in the country. When the President and the Prime Minister of the country did not have the necessary knowledge of economics and finance, at least a Minister of Finance with knowledge of economics and finance should be appointed.
“Moreover, there is no country in the world where three members of the same family have been appointed to the Cabinet. Therefore, the loss of confidence in this government is inevitable. We have a plan for the economy. We firmly believe that this plan will end the current era of queues in the country.”
Corruption was one of the main reasons for the loss of confidence in the government. It had been reported in a British court that a company in Britain had paid SriLankan Airlines to buy an air bus. It was reported that two million dollars had been credited to the account of the wife of the then CEO of SriLankan.
The Central Bank of Sri Lanka in 2007 had paid $ 6.5 million and the person called Zuberi who received that money was in jail now on a 12 year imprisonment, he said.
“Jaliya Wickremasuriya, the then Sri Lankan Ambassador to US , has pleaded guilty in the US court for a fraud in 2013 for embezzling more than $ 300,000 in acquiring a new building for the Sri Lankan Embassy in the United States.
Although any official accused of financial misconduct should be suspended under normal disciplinary procedures. Mahinda Rajapaksa attempt to appoint Jaliya Wickramasuriya, a Rajapaksa relative, as Sri Lanka’s high commissioner to Canada. He was unsuccessful as the Canadian government rejected the nomination to accredit a corrupt person.”
“Sri Lanka is also a signatory to the United Nations Anti-Corruption Charter, which contains a chapter on the recovery of assets accumulated through corruption. When the foreign courts punish Sri Lankans for corruption and accumulation of wealth, in Sri Lanka no inquiry or case has been filed against such persons, he said.
A Presidential Task Force on the Recovery of Assets accumulated from Corruption was appointed in 2018. The committee has drafted a bill for this purpose. Wickremaratne called on the government to present the anti-corruption bill to parliament and pass it into law.
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
