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Administrative Service Association airs its concern about present crisis and proposes reforms
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by PRIYAN DE SILVA
The Sri Lanka Administrative Service Association (SLASA) yesterday (18) aired its concerns about the present crisis the country is facing and submitted its proposals for the economic and social resurgence to a gathering comprising of clergy, members of Parliament, trade union leaders, officials of non-governmental organisations, the media and its members, at the Mahaweli Centre.
President of SLASA, Rohana de Silva, addressing those present, said that wrong economic and social policies had been the root cause of the present situation and admitted that a number of administrative lapses had aggravated it.
He said that the guidance extended to the lawmakers, both individually, and as a union, from time to time, had had no effect at all. Hence the Association had been compelled to present the proposals to others in the public service and the general public before the ongoing economic crisis worsened.
The SASA President said that since 1972 the public service had become subject to the control of the Cabinet-of-Ministers and the public service had been acting according to the whims and fancies of politicians. He added that it was imperative that the public service be an independent professional service to overcome the present crisis.
Among the changes proposed are that the 19th Amendment to the constitution be reinstated, the staff of the President limited, and a 10-member constitutional council be formed to appoint all independent commissions, including the National Procurement Commission, to limit the number of Ministers to twenty five (25) and the number of Deputy Ministers to be limited to 25, as well.
That all Cabinet papers should be approved by a ‘Policy Council’ comprising of persons competent for policy formulation before they are submitted to the Cabinet of Ministers.
SLASA recommends the introduction of provisions to the constitution to strengthen the Commission to investigate allegations of bribery or corruption. SLASA also recommends that the Committee on Public Accounts and the Committee on Public Enterprise be strengthened further to streamline the control of public finance.
Among the proposals for economic management are the reintroduction of the PAYEE tax system, and that all officers who are subject to pay PAYEE tax should pay it from their salaries and not through their institutions. The reintroduction of the Withholding Tax, immediate suspension of tax exemptions, revision of the qualifying level for payment of Personal Income Tax and Value Added Tax, exemption of corporate income tax to be done under a proper methodology.
Recommendations were also made for the agriculture, education, energy and industry sectors.
Welcoming the proposals submitted by SASA, trade union leaders present aired their displeasure that the SASA had not objected to persons outside the service being appointed to administrative posts. It was also suggested that the members of SASA should refuse to carry out orders given by a government which has not been democratically elected or has lost the trust and mandate of the masses.
NGO head Manjula Gajanayaka, who was in the audience, said that it was an encouraging sign that members of the Sri Lanka Administrative Service had openly voiced their concerns.
Gajanayaka added it was the first occasion that the association had stood by the public.
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
