News
Compromise formula: Gazette on Ven. Gnanasara’s PTF diluted; Sabry pacified
By Shamindra Ferdinando
The government has amended a controversial Gazette dated Oct 26, 2021on the appointment of Presidential Task Force (PTF) headed by Ven. Galagodaatte Gnanasara to examine the implementation of ‘One Country, One Law’ principle and prepare a draft Act following strong objections by Justice Minister Ali Sabry, PC.
SLPP National List lawmaker Sabry declared that he couldn’t remain the justice minister unless the authority given to the PTF over the justice ministry was done away with. The PTF consisted of 13 persons.
In addition to being tasked with formulating a draft Act, Ven. Gnanasara’s PTF, in terms of the Oct 26,2021 gazette has been asked to study the draft Acts and amendments that have already been prepared by the Ministry of Justice in this regard and propose suitable amendments depending on the requirement.
The President’s Office has issued instructions to amend the relevant gazette following the Justice Minister discussing the grave issue with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Nov 05.
Subsequently, a new gazette dated Nov 06 wholly removed the terms of references as in the previous gazette and tasked the PTF to submit proposals for ‘formulating a conceptual framework ideally suited for Sri Lanka after making a study of the said concept taking into account the views and opinions held by various parties with regard to the implementation of the concept “One Country, One Law” principle.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has established the PTF in terms of Article 33 of the Constitution. The first meeting of the PTF took place at Ven. Gnanasara’s temple on the Rajagiriya-Nawala road.
According to the second gazette, two members of the original PTF namely Prof. Dayananda Banda and lecturer Mohomad Inthikab have quit the outfit and Ramalingam Chakrawarthy Karunakaran, Ms. Yogeswari Patgunarajah and Iyyampillai Dayanandaraja have since been included.
The original PTF didn’t include Tamils or at least a single woman. The new PTF comprises 14 including one woman.
Sources said that Minister Sabry, who had an opportunity to discuss the matter before President Gotabaya Rajapaksa left the country on Oct 30 to attend a UN event in Glasgow, Scotland made further representations on Nov 05, the day the President returned to the country.
Sources said that the issue could have been easily avoided if matters pertaining to the justice portfolio were at least discussed with the ministry.
President Rajapaksa told a public gathering at Weeraketiya last Saturday (6) why he invited Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) General Secretary Ven. Gnanasara to head that particular PTF as he was pushing for ‘One Country, One Law’ concept during the past four years.
Sources said that the issuance of the second gazette had effectively prevented the PTF interference in matters coming under the Justice Ministry. At the onset Minister Sabry offered to quit the portfolio if Ven. Gnanasara remained in the PTF. Compromise formula was for the President’s Counsel to remain and to dilute the gazette, they said.
The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) taking into consideration the appointment of a convicted person for contempt of court as Chairperson of the PTF, strongly criticized the move.
The BASL alleged that the PTF would usurp the functions of many institutions established under the Constitution, including Parliament as well as the Ministry of Justice.
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
