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Organisers out to break all previous records with May 6 hartal to send govt. home
By Saman Indrajith
Arrangements were underway to make the May 6 hartal a record success so that it would leave all previous hartals in the country in limbo, the organisers said yesterday.
Member of the Trade Union Coordinating Committee (TUCC), Chandana Sooriyarachchi, told The Island that more than 1,000 unions from the government, semi-government, estate and private sector would participate in the hartal campaign demanding the government to step down immediately.
The TUCC leaders who met at the auditorium of the Public Library in Colombo yesterday said: “We call on people to hoist black flags in their houses and hope that shops and offices will close. The people have a constitutional right, and we call on them to exercise their rights. We want this government to go home. Hartal is the second step after our countrywide token strike on April 28. The government seems to show that it is not bothered by the people’s call. Let us see how long it could go on in this manner. This hartal will break all the records of former hartals by the numbers as well as intensity. In the 1953 hartal, the then Prime Minister and the Cabinet of Ministers had to hide aboard a British ship HMS Newfoundland in the Colombo Harbour in fear of the people. The present-day leaders are already hiding in bunkers in Colombo. Let’s see how they would react this time,” Sooriyarachchi said.
TUCC Committee Member Mahinda Jayasinghe said that the unions had brought the country to a near standstill last Thursday with over 1,000 government and private sector trade unions, representing all sectors from transportation to banking, striking work to demand that the government quit.
“We issued a seven-day ultimatum to the government to step down. There has been no response yet. Next Friday, workers will stay away from work and take to the streets, demanding the government’s resignation. Transportation will come to a complete halt with no trains running and private bus owners keeping their vehicles off the road.
Trade unions, representing banks, railways, education, harbour, electricity, postal, apparel industry and tea estate workers joined the protests on 28 April while doctors and the medical sector will join Friday’s hartal, Jayasinghe said.
Ravi Kumudesh of the Collective of Trade Unions and Mass Organisations said: “We gave the government time till 06 May to resign and if the government does not listen to the people, we will have to have a hartal.”
General Secretary, Ceylon Teachers’ Union, Joseph Stalin said: “If the government is not willing to leave, we will have to kick it out. People are asking the Rajapaksas to go home and they do not have a mandate to govern the country anymore.”
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
