News
Controversy over C’bo Uni. Chancellor’s SUV: Higher Education Ministry, UGC won’t intervene – Dr. Raghavan
… Puttalam District lawmaker original owner
By Shamindra Ferdinando
State Higher Education Minister Dr. Suren Raghavan yesterday (19) said the Higher Education Ministry, and the University Grants Commission (UGC), wouldn’t get involved in the ongoing issue pertaining to the sale of SUV by Chancellor of the Colombo University Ven. Muruththettuwe Ananda, the chief incumbent of the Abhayarama temple.
Dr. Raghavan emphasised that as it was a private matter there was no need for them to intervene. The SLPP National List MP said so in response to The Island query whether the Ministry would inquire into the allegations regarding the sale of a V-8 by the Chancellor.
Ousted President Gotabaya Rajapaksa appointed Ven. Ananda as Chancellor, last November.
Declaring his commitment to what he called total independence of Universities, the State Minister questioned the current process in selecting Vice Chancellors. The SLPP National List MP said: “I stand for the total independence of all universities, including the selection of their Vice Chancellors. Presidents do not need to appoint them.”
Responding to another query, Dr. Raghavan said that if anyone believed the Ven. Thera had violated the law, that party should move Court.
Chairman, UGC, Prof. Sampath Amaratunga said that the President exercised the power to appoint Chancellors of Universities. Therefore, in his capacity as the Chairman, UGC, he couldn’t comment on the issue at hand.
A simmering controversy erupted over the Ven. Thera’s SUV, after former JVP MP Wasantha Samarasinghe alleged that Thilini Priyamali, proprietor of Thico Group of Companies now in remand custody, in connection with the misappropriation of large sums of money, stole the V-8, used by the Ven. Thera.
Having cleared Thilini Priyamali of stealing the vehicle, Ven. Ananda has revealed that he had lodged a complaint with the police alleging that Colombo Municipal Council member, Priyanka Jayasekera (SLPP), sold the vehicle, on his behalf, but didn’t hand over the proceeds.
At a hastily called media briefing, Councillor Jayasekera contradicted Ven. Thera. Jayasekera said that she sold the V-8, with the blessings of the Ven. Thera, to cover losses, amounting to Rs. 50 mn ,incurred by her, having invested on an enterprise, as requested by the monk. Jayasekera is on record as having said that she provided a Mercedes Benz, belonging to her, to the Ven. Thera, after the sale of the V-8. She said that the V-8 hadn’t been in the name of Ven. Ananda, though the monk claimed its ownership.
The Island
asked Wasantha Samarasinghe, who now heads a trade union collective, led by the JVP, whether he still stood by his original claim that the alleged fraudster Priyamali stole the vehicle, the former lawmaker said that he would respond to the query, after having studied the developments.
Rohan Laksiri, Secretary, Federation of University Teachers’ Association (FUTA), said that as they hadn’t discussed the Chancellor’s issue yet, a statement couldn’t be issued. “We’ll do so once consensus was reached on this matter,” Laksiri said.
Responding to Councillor Jayasekera, Ven. Thera told the media that he decided to sell the V-8 after a philanthropist, based in Japan, offered him another vehicle. Ven. Ananda said that he abandoned the plan as he couldn’t get the heavy tax, on the car, waived off.
Ven. Ananda told The Island yesterday that since 2017 he was the legitimate owner of the V-8, which originally belonged to a Puttalam District Muslim MP. The monk said that he didn’t want to discuss this issue, over the phone, though he was willing to show the documents, in his hands, which proved the accusations wrong.
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
