News
Brigadier wins landmark FR case: Court clears way for his promotion
HRC’s position reconfirmed
By Shamindra Ferdinando
The Court of Appeal has asked Army Commander Lt. Gen. Vikum Liyanage to promote petitioner Brig. Chandana Ranaweera to the rank of Maj. Gen. with effect from 01 Jan., 2021.
The Court of Appeal bench consisting of Justices Nissanka Bandula Karunaratne and Chamath Moraes has also directed that the petitioner, an officer of the Light Infantry, be paid salary, etc., he is entitled to as a Major General, with effect from that day. The ruling pertained to a fundamental rights application filed by Brigadier Ranaweera in terms of Article 140 of the Constitution.
Attorney-at-Law Namal Rajapaksa, counsel for the petitioner told The Island yesterday (07) that there had never been a previous instance of a court issuing such a directive to any other Commander of the army following an intervention made by the Human Rights Commission (HRC).
The counsel said that the HRC had received an assurance from Lt. Gen. Liyanage that once the Court of Appeal made its ruling the army would abide by it. Brig. Ranaweera now serves as the Chief Executive officer of the Nelum Pokuna Mahinda Rajapaksa theatre.
Responding to queries, Counsel Rajapaksa said that acting on a complaint made by Brig. Ranaweera, who had served the army for a period of over 35 years, to the HRC, the latter initiated an inquiry having deemed an injustice had been caused to the officer. In his petition to the Court of Appeal, Brig. Ranaweera said that though fellow officers of intake 28 had been given promotions to the rank of Maj. Gen. beginning Nov 30, 2020, he had been denied the promotion in 2021 and 2023.
Rajapaksa noted that the Court of Appeal ruling had been given in the wake of the post of Chief of Staff being vacant since 13 Oct., 2023. The post of Deputy Chief of Staff fell vacant on 01 Dec., 2023. If the army headquarters abided by the Court of Appeal ruling, Brig. Ranaweera would automatically receive seniority among officers holding the rank of Major General.
Lt. Gen. Liyanage is due to retire on 31 Dec., 2023 unless he receives another extension.
“My client is eligible to be the next Chief of Staff,” Counsel Rajapaksa said, acknowledging the possibility of army headquarters moving the Supreme Court against the Court of Appeal decision.
Among the respondents in the fundamental rights application filed by Brig. Ranaweera were Gen. Kamal Gunaratne, Secretary to the Ministry of Defence and the then Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Channa Weerasuriya, who functioned as Chairman of Army Advisory Board (AAB) and seven other officers of the AAB.
According to a petition, the AAB on 06 Dec., 2022 dismissed ROG (Redress of Grievance) furnished by the petitioner requesting him being considered for promotion to the rank of Maj. Gen.Lawyer Rajapaksa said that his client had resorted to legal action besides moving the HRC.
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
