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Appointment of new EC may disrupt upcoming LG polls, GL tells CC
Prof. G. L. Peiris, MP, yesterday (23) urged the Constitutional Council (CC) to delay the appointment of a new Election Commission (EC) until the conclusion of Local Government polls scheduled for March 09. The EC consists of five members.
Addressing the weekly Nidahas Janatha Sabhawa (NJS) briefing at Nawala, Prof. Peiris requested the 10-member CC headed by Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena not to take action that would jeopardize the election.
The former External Affairs Minister made the appeal a few hours before Chief of Staff and Deputy Secretary General of Parliament Kushani Rohanadeera announced the first meeting of the CC on January 25 morning, the first gathering since the appointment of three non-members of Parliament as members of the CC.
Referring to the recent reports pertaining to alleged death threats directed at two EC members, K.P.P. Pathirana and S.B. Divaratne, Prof. Peiris advised the CC not to resort to unilateral actions.
Prof. Peiris discussed how a bid to replace the EC in terms of the 21st Amendment to the Constitution against the backdrop of what he called an unprecedented series of despicable attempts meant to force cancellation of the scheduled election.
Referring to Finance Secretary Mahinda Siriwardena’s affidavit to the Supreme Court, pertaining to the developing economic crisis, Prof. Peiris questioned the controversial position taken by the official.
Accusing the Finance Secretary of facilitating the Wickremesinghe-Rajapaksa government strategy, aimed at somehow calling off the politically sensitive election, lawmaker Peiris asked whether he would take a similar stand in Nov. 2024 at the time of the Presidential Election, next year.
Declaring that the EC decision on the March 09 polls couldn’t be reversed, under any circumstances, Prof. Peiris alleged that the Treasury Secretary’s affidavit to the SC was the seventh failed attempt to derail the ongoing election process.
The former law professor and ex-minister said that the government challenged the announcement of LG polls date by EC Chairman Nimal Punchihewa. The government found fault with EC Chairman Attorney-at-Law Punchihewa for not having all members with him when he made the announcement.
Prof. Peiris emphasized that there was no such stipulation that all members should be present in place when the date of a particular election was announced.’
The SLPP rebel said that both the UNP and the SLPP, struggling on the political front, feared facing the electorate as they realized the growing public anger at the way the Wickremesinghe-Rajapaksa administration addressed issues at hand.
Prof. Peiris asked whether the incumbent government consulted the Finance Ministry before the appointment of 39 State Ministers last September and two Cabinet ministers recently. If the economy was in such a precarious state, why on earth the incumbent administration appointed State Ministers who did nothing, Prof. Peiris queried. The Constitution allows the appointment of a 30-member Cabinet and 40 non-Cabinet Ministers. President Wickremesinghe has so far appointed a 20-Cabinet and 39 non-Cabinet ministers.
Prof. Peiris said that a thorough inquiry was required in the wake of Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena’s denial of Public Administration Ministry Secretary Neil Bandara Hapuhinna’s claim that he directed Divisional Secretaries not to accept deposits from political parties on the instructions of the Cabinet of Ministers.
Hapuhinna is on record as having said he received instructions in this regard from Cabinet Secretary, Donald Fernando, Prof. Peiris said, demanding the exposure of those who made an abortive bid to subvert the electoral process.
The government couldn’t maintain silence on this issue, Prof. Peiris said. The UNP and the SLPP realized that their defeat at LG polls would influence the countrywide campaign for early General Election, the SLPP National List MP said.
In terms of the Constitution, the President can dissolve Parliament in March this year.
Referring to what he called the landmark Supreme Court verdict on the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks, Prof. Peiris reminded those who failed in their responsibilities, for whatever reasons, would be held responsible.
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
