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Bid to form Tamil MPs’ caucus receives good response: Mano
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA) leader Mano Ganeshan, MP, yesterday (10) said that TELO (Tamil Eelam Liberation Organisation) leader Selvam Adaikalanathan, MP, and DPLF (Democratic People’s Liberation Front) leader Dharmalingam Siddarthan had responded positively to his recent call for the formation of a Tamil MPs’ caucus in Parliament.
Both TELO and DPLF contested the last general election in August 2020 on the Tamil National Alliance (TNA ticket).
Colombo District lawmaker said that his colleagues in TPA Palani Thigambaram, MP and V. Radhakrishnan, MP had assured their support for the move. The TPA contested the last general election on the Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) ticket.said that Tamil MPs’ caucus was required primarily for three specific reasons.
The grouping could declare what the TPA leader called the collective desire of their community to reach consensus with other communities within an undivided Sri Lanka.
MP Ganeshan said that the grouping could enter into a collective dialogue with other political parties represented in parliament and also reach out to the Sinhala community and organizations not represented in parliament.
And finally make a collective effort to persuade the international community and Sri Lanka’s development partners to convince the government to adhere to what MP Ganeshan called Sri Lanka’s international obligations.
Responding to another query, the outspoken MP said that he didn’t believe the proposed caucus should engage in political discussions. Political discussions should be the responsibility of respective political parties.
Declaring that there were differences between political aspirations of Tamil speaking people in the Northern and Eastern Provinces and that of the upcountry region, MP Ganeshan stressed that the caucus could prepare the ground for talks with the government.
Having sent his proposal on Tamil MPs’ caucus to four Tamil parties represented in parliament, on March 30, MP Ganeshan has so far received responses from TELO and DPLF.
Appreciating ITAK (Illankai Thamil Arasu Kaddchi) spokesperson M.A. Sumanthiran’s declaration that the party was ready to discuss his proposal positively, MP Ganeshan said that the ITAK and C.V. Wigneswaran’s TMK were yet to respond, officially.
ITAK is the largest Tamil group in parliament with ten members. ITAK was represented by 14 members in the previous parliament.
MP Ganeshan said that the urgent need to reach a consensus on the national issue shouldn’t be put on a back burner as the government addressed pressing economic issues. Asserting that the proposed caucus could be utilized to improve relations with Sinhala MPs, lawmaker Ganeshan discussed the possibility of inviting progressive minded Sinhala MPs.
Asked whether he expected to form the grouping soon, MP Ganeshan said that everything would depend on the responses he received from four Tamil political parties represented in parliament. Such an initiative couldn’t be pursued unless all got together, he said.
Political sources said that some hardline Tamil Diaspora groups had asked Tamil political parties here not to throw their weight behind the TPA initiative. They had been offended by MP Ganeshan’s declared commitment to an undivided Sri Lanka, sources said. Those Diaspora groups were of the view that such a commitment on the part of the proposed Tamil MPs caucus would be detrimental to their agenda, sources said.
Sri Lanka brought the war to a successful conclusion in May 2009.
MP Ganeshan said that since Sri Lanka’s declaration of bankruptcy status in May last year, the national issue hadn’t received any attention at all though various spokesmen made on and off comments. Formation of Tamil MPs caucus could help the community to take up the issue at hand, collectively, the TPA leader said.
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
