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AG’s Dept. lawyers rebut Judicial Services Association stand on new HC judge
The Legal Officers’ Association of the Attorney General’s Department, on Thursday (28) noted with concern a letter sent by the Judicial Service Association (JSA) of Sri Lanka, addressed to the President, opposing the appointment of a Senior State Counsel of the Attorney General’s Department, Nayani Kasturiratne, as a High Court judge on the basis that the officer was a junior officer.
“The facts stated in the aforesaid letter are factually incorrect. It is a matter of regret that the JSA should make representations that do not accurately represent all material facts when stating that the officer from the Attorney General’s Department is “a far junior
officer compared to the judicial officers who are next in line in judicial seniority”. It has long been the tradition that officers of the Attorney General’s Department have enriched the judiciary, at various levels, and there are more appointments to be made to the judiciary in the near future,” the Legal Officers’ Association said in a statement.
Given below is the statement:
“Four new High Court judges were appointed recently. Among those appointed was a former Senior State Counsel, having 16 years of experience in the Attorney General’s Department, who had been nominated by the Attorney General for this judicial position.
“The Legal Officers’ Association expresses its appreciation that one of its officers has been recognized for this judicial office. Officers of the Attorney General’s Department have wide experience in both the civil and criminal courts as well as in original and appellate courts. They are exposed to high profile litigation and are often opposed to the best in the profession.
They are in court on a daily basis and carry a large volume of work often appearing in multiple cases on a single day. These officers also perform other duties such as providing advice to government departments and corporations and appear in commercial arbitrations, international arbitrations and before various other tribunals and participate in international conferences and workshops. They are also subject to continuous training and most officers at the rank of Senior State Counsel and above hold Masters Degrees in Law.
“In this background the Legal Officers’ Association notes with concern that it was reported that the Judicial Service Association (JSA) of Sri Lanka had addressed a letter to His Excellency the President opposing the appointment of the aforesaid Senior State Counsel as High Court judge on the basis that the officer was a junior officer. This position is factually inaccurate. The Officer nominated by the Attorney General had 16 years of service in the department and had a vast experience supervising officers in the circuits as well as in Colombo.
In comparison, one of the officers from the career judiciary who was appointed as a judge of the High Court last week also had 16 years of experience in the judiciary and had only a few more months’ experience in judicial service than the nominee of the Attorney General. It is a matter of regret that the JSA should make representations that do not accurately represent all material facts when stating that the officer from the Attorney General’s Department is “a far junior officer compared to the judicial officers who are next in line in judicial seniority”. It has long been the tradition that officers of the Attorney General’s Department have enriched the judiciary at various levels. It is thus that the judiciary is composed of judges with a wide and varied experience drawn from the official bar, the un-official bar and the career judiciary. It would be inimical to the interests of having a competent judiciary with a wide range of experience to give to one source of judicial appointments priority over another.
The Legal Officers’ Association of the Attorney General’s Department resolves that these concerns be communicated to his Excellency the President, His Lordship the Chief Justice and the Judicial Service Commission, for consideration in the making of future judicial appointments.”
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
