News
AG tells Supreme Court:
‘Passage of Port City Bill needs only simple majority’
by Chitra Weerarathne and A.J.A. Abeynayake
The Attorney General informed the Supreme Court yesterday that the Colombo Port City Economic Commission Bill did not contain any provisions inconsistent with the Constitution, and therefore it did not need either a two-thirds majority in Parliament or public approval at a referendum for passage.
The Supreme Court yesterday (23) concluded the consideration of petitions challenging the Colombo Port City Economic Commission Bill.
The petitions were taken up before a five-judge bench consisting of Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya, Justice Buwaneka Aluvihare, Justice Priyantha Jayawardena, Justice Murdhu Fernando, and Justice Janak de Silva.
The decision of the five-judge bench will be conveyed to the Speaker of Parliament in due course.
The Port City Economic Commission Bill was designed to promote the economy of the country by encouraging the foreign investors to invest profitably in the new zone, titled “The Port City”, Farzana Jameel, Additional Solicitor General President’s Counsel explained to the court.
The ASG submitted that the Special Economic Zone created an entity with a multitude of functions, controlled by the Port City Economic Commission.
Jameel appeared for the Attorney General.
The administrative function of the zone would be handled by the Commission with the approval of the Regulatory Authority, the ASG explained.
The licensing process involving banking in the Port City would be perused by the Port City Economic Commission in accordance with the Banking Act of Sri Lanka with permission of the Monetary Board of Sri Lanka.
The Port City Economic Commission was meant for a period of forty years, the Additional Solicitor General explained to the Supreme Court.
This Bill was for the betterment of the country. Foreign investors would be encouraged to invest. Sri Lanka would derive a good profit from their investments.
The government had made arrangements, by the Bill for investments to come swiftly, invest swiftly within the country’s laws, the court was told.
The Bill envisaged nothing outside the law of the land, the AG’s representative maintained.
The activities of the Port City Economic Commission would be controlled by the Minister in charge, and decisively and finally by the President, she said.
Nearly 20 petitions have been submitted against the Draft Bill by parties including Chairman of UNP Vajira Abeywardena, UNP General Secretary Palitha Range Bandara, former JVP MP Wasantha Samarasinghe, the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL), the Center for Policy Alternatives (CPA), General Secretary of SJB Ranjith Madduma Bandara, and Chairman of the IT Professionals Association G. Kapila Renuka.
Chairman of SLPP Prof. G. L. Peiris, SLPP General Secretary Attorney at Law Sagara Kariyawasam, and the legal association of the SLPP have filed intervenient petitions.
The petitioners, claiming that certain clauses of the relevant Bill have violated the country’s Constitution, are seeking a court order ruling that a two-thirds majority in Parliament and people’s approval at a referendum are necessary for the passage of the Bill.
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
