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NMSJ urges Parliament to pass bill on election expenses

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Parliament should pass the proposed Bill on election campaign finance soon and take into account the positive criticisms thereof, Karu Jayasuriya, Chairman of the National Movement for Social Justice (NMSJ) says.

Jayasuriya has in a media statement said: “As the National Movement for Social Justice (NMSJ), we express our deep appreciation for the fact that a bill has been presented to Parliament with the aim of creating an environment for a free and fair election culture by regulating election expenses. In order to achieve our desired goal of passing the Bill, we emphasise the need to pass it, taking into account the positive criticisms that have been, raised regarding the Bill.

“In order to civilise the political culture of Sri Lanka, it is essential to regulate the expenses incurred by every political party, as well as candidates. It is also important to regulate the way of collecting funds, as well as ensure that the relevant funds are procured through legal means. It is extremely important to enforce a law for that. Accordingly, the regulation of the election expenses of the candidates, running for the local government (LG) elections, provincial councils (PC) elections, general elections and presidential elections, which is expected to be adopted by the enforcement of this Bill, will definitely be a positive approach. In addition to that, we are of the view that the expenses of each political party and group in referendums should also be included in this legal framework.

“Moreover, we expect that certain loopholes, found in this Bill, which may enable political parties and candidates to exert undue influence on voters, through campaigning and other expenses during the elections, will be rectified. If any money is spent by another party, on behalf of a certain candidate, or political party, it should be made mandatory to obtain prior permission from the candidate or the party concerned, and the law should make such cases clear and accountable. Also, as seen in the original Bill, it was suggested that every candidate should spend their expenses through a specific bank account, but attention should also be paid to the fact that it is not included in this Bill.

“It is also our conclusion that it is important to include provisions in this Bill in such a way that funds cannot be obtained from organisations established in Sri Lanka that receive foreign aid, as well as from organisations established as non-profit organisations under the Companies Act No. 07 of 2007 or by Acts of Parliament.

We, as the NMSJ, express our strong support and gratitude to all those who are working for the need to enforce a law on election expenses. We request from the Government as well as all the Members of Parliament to make this a great opportunity to prepare a successful legal basis for regulating the election expenses in Sri Lanka, taking into consideration the proposals prepared and submitted to the relevant authorities by the Elections Commission of Sri Lanka, as well as by various other election monitoring organisations.”



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US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development

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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.”

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Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees

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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.

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CIPM successfully concludes 8th Annual Symposium

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Left to right, Prof. Arosha Adikaram - Chairperson of the Symposium, UAC Obeyesekere – Chief Executive Officer, CIPM Sri Lanka, Guest of Honor - Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer, MAS Holdings PVT Ltd., Sri Lanka, Ken Vijayakumar, President, CIPM Sri Lanka, Priyantha Ranasinghe,Vice President, CIPM Sri Lanka, Col. Saman Jayawickrama (Retd) – Secretary, CIPM Sri Lanka, Dr Dilanjalee Weerathunga – Co Chairperson of the Symposium

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.

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