News
Controversy surrounds prolonged vacancies in Army’s No. 02, 03 positions
Dullas urges govt. not to cause further destabilisation
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Controversy surrounds the inordinate delay in appointing the Chief of Staff and the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Army against the backdrop of dissident SLPP MP Dullas Alahapperuma’s revelation in Parliament that over 27,000 soldiers had left the Army since January 2022.
The former minister said so while participating in the third reading debate on Budget 2024 under the Defence Ministry expenditure heads. The Matara District MP urged defence authorities to pay attention to the developing situation or be prepared to face the consequences.
Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. W.A.S.S. Wanasinghe and Deputy Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. G.R.R.P. Jayawardena retired on Oct. 13 and Dec 01, respectively. At the time of his retirement, Wanasinghe, son of former Army Commander Gen. Hamilton Wanasinghe, also served as Colonel Commandant of Artillery whereas Jayawardena was Colonel Commandant of the Sinha Regiment.
The Army’s number two slot had never been kept vacant for so long, sources said, pointing out that the Wickremesinghe-Rajapaksa government seemed to have ignored altogether concerns expressed by MP Alahapperuma in Parliament. Sources said that in spite of Wanasinghe widely being tipped to be the next Army chief, he didn’t receive the approval.
The next senior most officer Maj. Gen. Darshana Wijesekara of the Sinha Regiment, currently the Commander of the Volunteer Force, is scheduled to retire on Dec 30, 2023.
The present Army Commander, Lt. Gen. Vikum Liyanage, is on a one-year extension. Ousted President Gotabaya Rajapaksa brought in Liyanage in the wake of the May 2022 violence that destabilized his government. Liyanage succeeded Gen. Shavendra Silva. At the time of President Rajapaksa’s ouster and UNP leader Wickremesinghe’s election (by Parliament) as President in July 2022, Lt. Gen. Liyanage served as the Army Commander. The Gajaba Regiment officer received a one-year extension with effect from Dec 31, 2022. Unless he is granted another extension, Liyanage, too, will retire by the end of this month.
MP Alahapperuma yesterday told The Island that of the 27,000 men, the majority deserted while the rest retired. “Of those who retired, some left after completing 12 years in the service,” the former minister said, claiming that State Defence Minister Pramitha Bandara Tennakoon didn’t properly respond to issues raised by him. “Of course I’m speaking on behalf of the genuine Opposition,” the veteran politician said.
Lawmaker Alahappeuma said that the Army was experiencing a situation very much similar to the crisis in the police. “We do not have anything against former IGP C.D. Wickremaratne. But, can anyone justify him being granted four brief extensions before making an Acting appointment to replace him?” MP Alahapperuma asked. If Senior DIG Deshabandu Tennakoon has been appointed Acting IGP for a three-month period with effect from Nov 29, why did he make courtesy calls on various people? the MP asked.
MP Alahapperuma said that President Wickremesinghe, who is also the Commander-in-Chief in addition to being the Defence Minister, should look into this matter. As the President he couldn’t allow further destabilization of a bankrupt country, MP Alahapperuma said. Wickremesinghe comfortably beat Alahapperuma at the election held in late July in Parliament to elect a president to complete Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s five-year term. In terms of the constitution the next presidential election has to be conducted by/before Oct 2024 and the new president sworn in by Nov.
MP Alahapperuma said that the SLPP should look into this matter without further delay. The failure on the part of the administration to fill the Chief of Staff’s vacancy for nearly two months couldn’t be justified under any circumstances. The ex-minister said that the all-party Sectoral Committee on National Security should look into this matter. For how long the government intended to delay filling vacancies until the desired person could take over command of the war-winning Army, he asked.
The declaration that the Army would be reduced to 100,000 by 2030 should be examined against the sharp increase in the number of desertions over the past two years, the MP said. The top Opposition MP urged the government to take decisions on solid advice of experts and not to be influenced by various interested parties.
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
