News
Appointment of new IGP: Prez disregards CC’s stand -Udaya
by Shamindra Ferdinando
Pivithuru Hala Urumaya (PHU) leader Udaya Gammanpila yesterday (09) said that President Ranil Wickremesinghe owed an explanation to the public as to why a successor to Inspector General of Police (IGP) C.D. Wickremeratne couldn’t be named before the end of the incumbent police chief’s second three- month extension. Wickremeratne’s second extension ended yesterday (09).
The former Power and Energy Minister said that in terms of the Constitution, the President should inform the Constitutional Council of his nominee for the post of IGP.
The CC consists of Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena (Chairman), Premier Dinesh Gunawardena, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, Nimal Siripala de Silva, Kabir Hashim, Sagara Kariyawasam, Dr. Prathap Ramanujam, Dr. Anula Wijesundera and Dr. Dinesha Samaratne. Of the 10 member CC, one slot remains vacant due to the failure on the part of political parties not represented by the PM and Opposition Leader to reach consensus on their nominee. The vacancy remains for more than a year.
The Colombo District lawmaker said that the failure on the part of the President’s Office to communicate the nomination of a new IGP should be examined against the backdrop of the CC declaration that another extension wouldn’t be granted under any circumstances.
MP Gammanpila challenged the legality of the extension granted to Wickremaratne nearly two weeks after he retired on March 26, 2023. Wickremaratne received his second service extension on July 09, 2023.
Lawmaker Gammanpila asked whether some external power wanted the Wickremesinghe-Rajapaksa government to retain Wickremaratne, who succeeded Pujith Jayasundera in the wake of 2019 Easter Sunday carnage. The PHU leader said that there hadn’t been a previous instance of such a controversy since the creation of CC with the enactment of the 17th Amendment to the Constitution.
Senior DIGs Nilantha Jayawardena and Deshabandu Tennakoon are the two senior most law enforcement officers eligible to be considered for the top post but are named in the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) report on 2019 Easter Sunday carnage.
The CC is expected to meet today (10) to discuss the latest developments. Well informed sources said that the CC hadn’t received the President’s nominee yet. Sources said that in addition to the IGP’s issue the CC was expected to discuss the recent criticism directed at the body by Justice Minister Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, PC.
Alleging that the CC and the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) had failed to do their duty, Minister Rajapakshe declared that the residences of CC members and those of CIABOC should be surrounded by the people instead of the homes of parliamentarians hereafter. The Minister said so after the Opposition Leader pointed out that the CC couldn’t appoint members to the CIABOC due to shortcomings in the Anti-Corruption Act. Chief Opposition Whip Lakshman Kiriella strongly defended the CC but the Justice Minister insisted that the Speaker and other members should take responsibility for turning a blind eye to the developing crisis.
In spite of the CIABOC having the authority to take tangible measures against those who had parked export proceeds amounting to USD 9 bn overseas nothing was being done in that regard, lawmaker Rajapakshe said. The Minister said that the country could make a rapid recovery if action was taken to investigate those named in Pandora and Panama Papers and the money stolen by them recovered. The Minister alleged that among those who had massive amounts of funds were some Secretaries to Ministers. Declaring they had as much as USD 150 mn, Minister Rajapakshe urged the government to declare an amnesty to bring back their money before going all out to recover stolen funds. The Minister said that CIABOC should be compelled to do its job or face the consequences.
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
