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22A will transcend 19A: minister
ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s newly proposed 22nd amendment to the constitution, while being based on the 19th amendment, will transcend the latter’s democratic features while also retaining the more progressive aspects of the 20th amendment, Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe said.
In a press briefing held on Wednesday August 10, Rajapakshe summarised some key features of the proposed amendment.
“The basic features of the 19th amendment are all there. Mainly, reestablishing the Constitutional Assembly which has the power to approve appointments of High Court judges and higher government officials, and appoint members to Commissions,” he said.
Unlike in the 19th amendment, he said, the three members of the Constitutional Assembly from parliament would not be selected by the Prime Minister and Opposition Leader.
Instead, one member will be appointed by and of the ruling party, one by and of the main opposition, and one member from the majority appointment from and of the other parties.The three civilian members of the Constitutional Council will be appointed by the Speaker with the approval of parliament without intervention by the Prime Minister or Opposition Leader.
“As in the 19th amendment, the Police Commission, Public Service Commission, Election Commission and Bribery Commission will be independent institutions,” he said.
The Public Procurement Commission and Audit Services Commission, which were dissolved by the 20th Amendment, will be re-established by the 22nd Amendment.
“These Commissions were established because most corruption in the governing process happens during audits and procurement processes,” said Rajapakshe.
The Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) is to be appointed by the President with the approval of the Constitutional Council.
“There was justified discourse surrounding the appointment of the Central Bank Governor,” said Rajapakshe.
“[Previous Governors] Arjuna Mahendran and Ajith Nivaard Cabraal worked in an arbitrary manner to destroy the country’s economy, and because the impact on the economy is so great, steps had to be taken [regarding the appointment of CBSL governors],” he claimed.
The 22nd Amendment aims to restrict the president’s ministerial portfolios to just the Defence Ministry via interim arrangements, while the 19th Amendment granted them authority over the Environment and Mahaweli ministries too.Rajapakshe said the Defence Ministry must remain with the President, as the country’s security comes under their responsibility according to previous Supreme Court rulings.
“Under the 22nd Amendment, until a Minster is appointed, the President must take responsibility of the respective Ministry. Additionally, in case of emergency, the President can take over a Ministry on the advice of the PM,” he said.Bills proposed in Parliament can be contested in the Supreme Court, and this can be done within 14 days of the Bill’s presentation.
“The public has the right to contest if a Bill proposed in Parliament is Constitutional or not. To enact those rights, the public must do so within seven days of presentation of the bill. We have increased that to 14 days, to give the people more opportunity to take part in the legislative process,” said Rajapakshe.Under the 22nd Amendment, Sri Lanka will establish laws to carry out the provisions of the United Nations Convention against Corruption and other international conventions regarding bribery and corruption.
“Though there was [a similar provision] in the 19th amendment, no laws were created. The Anti Corruption bill has already been created, it will be further studied in the coming weeks,” said Rajapakshe.
The Bribery and Corruption Commission Law and Declaration of Assets and Liabilities Law will also be updated, he said.
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
