News
Constitutional Council: Still no finality
Drag on appointment of Independent Commissions
Thursday’s meeting of Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, and Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa to appoint three civil society members for the Constitutional Council ended in a stalemate further delaying the appointments of independent commissions, parliamentary sources said.
Speaker Abeywardena said that the meeting held at the Parliamentary complex ended without reaching any decision.He said that the Constitutional Council cannot function properly until all the members are appointed.
According to the 21st Amendment to the Constitution, the Constitutional Council comprises 10 members and its three civil society members have to be appointed in agreement between the Prime Minister and the Opposition Leader.Thursday meeting, earlier announced to make a final decision, however ended without any agreement reached on the names of three civil society members to the Council, parliament sources said.
They added that two months have lapsed since the passing of the 21st Amendment to the constitution; yet there was no signal with regard to the appointment of independent commissions including the elections commission. It is the prerogative of the 10-member Constitutional Council to appoint members to the independent commissions. “Now the forming of the Constitutional Council is delayed sine die, and that would further delay the appointment of independent commissions,” a senior parliamentary source said.
The 10-member Constitutional Council consists of seven lawmakers and three civil society members. The seven lawmakers are the Speaker, Prime Minister, and the Opposition Leader appointed to the council in their official capacity, an MP as the President’s representative, an MP nominated by the agreement of the majority of MPs of the government ranks, another MP nominated by the agreement of the majority of MPs of the opposition ranks, and an MP nominated by agreement of the MPs other than those representing the government and those belonging to the political party or independent group to which the Leader of the Opposition belongs to.
Already Minister Nimal Siripala De Silva was appointed to the Constitutional Council as the President’s representative, sources said, adding that there appears to be no agreement with regard to the remaining appointments.
SLPP General Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam’s name has been proposed as the MP nominated by agreement of the majority of the MPs representing the government. His appointment has not yet been confirmed while SJB MP Kabir Hashim’s name has been proposed as the MP nominated from the political party or independent group to which the Leader of the Opposition belongs to.
Sources said that there was discord over the appointment of an MP nominated by agreement of the MPs other than those representing the government and those belonging to the political party or independent group to which the Leader of the Opposition belongs to. The TNA has proposed the name of Jaffna District MP Dharmalingam Siddharthan, the newly formed Uttara Lanka Sabhagaya demands that post should be given to MP Udaya Gammanpila.
The delay in appointing members to the Constitutional Council delays the appointment of members to independent commissions; namely Election Commission, National Police Commission, Audit Service Commission, Human Rights Commission, Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption, Finance Commission, Delimitation Commission, National Procurement Commission, University Grants Commission and Official Languages Commission.
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
