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March 12 Movement calls on voters not to elect misfits at polls
The March 12 Movement for Clean Politics, a collective of civil society organizations, last week called on people not to vote for any candidate who fails to declare his or her assets prior to the forthcoming local council polls.
In a statement issued subsequent to a press conference in Colombo on Tuesday, the organization said that people who had voted in the previous elections to elect governments in the past were the main responsible party for the present crisis in the economy and the breakdown of law and order. The first accused for the crisis in our society is the voter. The electors have not used their vote wisely to promote policies that could uphold democracy and other social values. It is clear that they had voted and cast their preferences without giving due consideration to the policies of the candidates. Time has come to understand that every single vote is a step towards taking the country back on the path towards the right direction. The electors must not fall prey to the candidates asking for their votes in return of promises of this and that. The electors must critically review whether such parties or candidates could deliver those promises.
“We hope that the electors would be prudent enough not to vote for any candidate who fails to declare his or her assets prior to the elections. Before you mark your ballot card, think whether the person of your choice could safeguard public funds and be able to uplift the community and village to greater heights from the present crisis. It is your citizenry duty,” the statement said.
The forthcoming elections to select members for the local government bodies is the 75th election Lankan people face after their gain of universal franchise. The electors are frustrated with politics and prevailing political culture. One of the main reasons for the present plight was the consequence of electing corrupt and dishonest candidates to govern the country, the statement said.
The March 12 movement also called on political parties to inform the public of the criterion they would use to select their candidates. It is also a duty incumbent upon the political parties to get their candidates to declare their assets. The majority of those who had been elected so far were proven to be persons irresponsible of their duty. The majority of candidates the parties had placed before the public were wasters of public funds, said the March 12 movement’s statement.
At the press conference Convener of the March 12 Movement Rohana Hettiarachchi appealed to political parties to take into consideration the criteria issued by them on March 12, 2015 when selecting candidates for the LG polls. The criteria by the movement demand political parties to adhere to eight preliminary principles in selecting their candidates for elections. The eight preliminary principles of concern are: The persons nominated by the political parties as the candidates in the forthcoming parliamentary election;
1. Should not be a person who had served a jail sentence for a crime, or a person who has received a suspended sentence by the courts of law
2. Should not be a person who had been proven guilty for bribery and/or corruption, and should be acceptable to society as a person of good character (be cautious when considering people who are widely alleged of bribery and/or corruption charges)
3. Should not be a person who is engaging or had engaged in the past in the trades such as alcohol, drugs, gambling, casinos and prostitution, that are detrimental to the wellbeing of the society and country
4. Should not be a person who is engaging or had engaged in trades, which destroys the ecological life support systems and the environment
5. Should not be a person who has abused political power
6. Should not be a person who had entered into financial agreements prejudicial to the country before becoming a people’s representative; who has abused power as a people’s representative and entered into such financial agreements with the government; or has been a party to such agreements
7. The candidate should be either a resident or have an amiable relationship with the residents of the area that he represents
8. The political party should provide adequate opportunities for women and youth representation when nominating the candidates.
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
