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Constitution making: SJB won’t make submissions to Expert Committee
Kiriella: Why should we go to reinvent the wheel?
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Chief Opposition Whip and senior Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) MP Lakshman Kiriella yesterday (20) said that his party wouldn’t make representations to the government appointed Expert Committee engaged in formulating constitutional proposals.
The Cabinet appointed the committee in early Sept, less than a month after the general election in Aug 2020. Lawmaker Kiriella said so in response to The Island query whether the SJB would make representations to the nine-member committee chaired by Romesh de Silva, PC. The deadline for submission of proposals is Dec 31, 2020.
The top SJB spokesperson dismissed the committee as a government body engaged in a propaganda exercise. When The Island pointed out that as the Justice Ministry had called for public proposals in that regard therefore the breakaway UNP faction could take advantage of the opportunity, lawmaker Kiriella said that the previous parliament comprehensively dealt with the issue. The then Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe spearheaded the process.
“Why should we reinvent the wheel”, MP Kiriella asked, urging what he called the SLPP appointed committee to examine the constitution making process undertaken by the previous parliament. Those who now identified themselves as the SLPP fully participated in the process though that grouping was then called the Joint Opposition, MP Kiriella said. The incumbent government couldn’t simply ignore what had been agreed in the previous parliament, the Kandy District SJB leader said.
“Of course, we reached consensus on some issues though there were differences. But, political parties represented in parliament largely agreed on the proposals. Therefore, the work undertaken by the previous parliament could be quite useful and should be the basis for the ongoing effort,” lawmaker Kiriella asserted.
The Justice Ministry recently called for submissions from the public pertaining to 11 subjects namely (1) nature of the State (2) fundamental rights (3) language (4) directive principles of State policy (5) the executive (President/cabinet of ministers/the Public service) (6) the legislature (7) franchise and elections, including referenda (8) decentralization/devolution of power/power sharing (9) the judiciary (10) public finance and (11) public security. The Justice Ministry also welcomed any other proposals specifically not referred to above.
Asked whether the UNP pushed for early Provincial Council polls, lawmaker Kiriella said that the government, in the run-up to 2019 presidential and August 2020 parliamentary polls repeatedly pledged introduce a new Constitution. So instead rushing to hold PC polls, the government should unveil its constitutional proposals as soon as possible, Kiriella said.
“Let us see how the incumbent administration intended to address the national problem. The UNP introduced 13th Amendment to the Constitution to address the grievances of the minorities. Mahinda Rajapaksa, in his capacity as the war winning President offered 13 plus. Explain what the President, the Prime Minister envisaged in terms of the proposed 13th Amendment,” the former UNPer said.
Kiriella said that the national question couldn’t be settled without sufficient devolution of powers to ensure the minorities felt comfortable and confident living among the majority community. Kiriella, who had served both SLFP and UNP led cabinets, said that during their constitution making process during the previous administration, Chief Ministers representing provinces other than the North and East, pushed for greater powers.
Responding to another query, MP Kiriella said that there hadn’t been a previous instance since JRJ introduced 1978 Constitution, where all political parties participated in a common agenda meant to bring in a new law.
The MP alleged having wasted several months in a high profile bid to secure the passage of the 20 Amendment with a 2/3 majority, the government wasn’t really sure of its strategy.
“Obviously, SLPP is divided over the new constitution making proposals,” MP Kiriella said, pointing out that the SLPP was yet to submit its proposals to its own committee.
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
