News
Corruption charges: JVP slams CIABOC, demands action
Yoshitha to move court against AKD
By Shamindra Ferdinando
In terms of the Bribery Act, the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) could not initiate inquiries unless it receives a complaint.
Apsara Caldera, Secretary to the CIABOC said so when The Island sought their response to a spate of corruption allegations made by JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake, various other politicians and officials at a media conference at the Sri Lanka Foundation on Tuesday (03).
Lawmaker Dissanayake declared his party was in possession of over 500 such files.
Asked whether the CIABOC maintained at public expense could avoid such serious accusations, especially at a time of growing public protests about corruption, Caldera said that the law prevented them initiating investigations.
The CIABOC comprises retired Supreme Court Justice Eva Wanasundera, Chairperson, retired Appeals Court Justice Deepali Wijesundera and retired DIG Chandra Nimal Wakista.
Jathika Jana Balavegaya MP Vijitha Herath, said that complaints in respect of some cases highlighted at Tuesday’s media briefing had been lodged with the CIABOC over a period. He said he himself had complained to the CIABOC about the Greek bond case, way back in January 2015. “The CIABOC did not even bother to question me to verify the accusations made, Herath said.
The bottom line was that Sri Lanka lacked a mechanism capable of investigating corruption cases, the MP said, pointing out how the CIABOC and the Attorney General withdrew over 50 high profile cases, filed since the last presidential election in Nov 2019.
The CIABOC, the AG and law enforcement authorities should at least know whether the cases, that had been raised by the JVP, were currently under investigation, MP Herath said. The lawmaker questioned the rationale in maintaining such outfits at a tremendous cost to the taxpayer.
The President himself directed the relevant authorities to inquire into accusations involving Kapila Chandrasena, former CEO of SriLankan Airlines, and his wife Priyanka Niyomali Wijenayake in a $2 million graft scandal. The UK Serious Fraud Office alleged that the French aircraft producer Airbus paid the bribe, MP Herath said.
Wijenayake allegedly received $2 million in 2013 to ensure that the national carrier bought airplanes from Airbus. That order was cancelled when a new government led by the UNP, took office in 2015.
Herath asked despite President Rajapaksa’s assurance that the government would conduct “a comprehensive investigation into reports of allegations over financial irregularities after Airbus agreed to settle a corruption probe with regulators,” the incumbent administration did not proceed with the case. “We would like to know the current status of the investigation,” lawmaker Herath said.
Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa’s Office yesterday said that Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff Yoshitha Rajapaksa would initiate legal action against JVP leader Dissanayake for making unsubstantiated corruption allegations pertaining to various properties owned by him. Condemning the JVPer’s accusations, the PM’s Office alleged that the statement was meant to deceive the people.
Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) and Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa and SLPP MP Namal Rajapaksa, too, have denied accusations directed at them.
MP Herath emphasised that Sri Lanka could not move forward unless tangible measures were taken to ensure a disciplined public and private sectors. Therefore, corruption accusations directed at politicians, including Presidents, serving and retired officials (both civil and military) should be thoroughly investigated, Herath said, underscoring the importance of having COPE (Committee on Public Enterprises), COPA (Committee of Public Accounts) and COPF (Committee of Public Finance) reports examined by the AG and the CIABOC.
The CIABOC’s response to our revelations proved that the law itself hindered investigations and intervened on behalf of those who should be behind bars, lawmaker Herath said.
Sri Lanka’s failure to take punitive measures against corruption should be examined against the backdrop of the US judicial decisions in respect of a US national who received USD 6.5 mn on a fraudulent image building exercise and former Sri Lanka’s Ambassador in Washington Jaliya Wickremasuriya found guilty of robbing over USD 300,000 from the government of Sri Lanka. Both frauds were perpetrated during Mahinda Rajapaksa’s second term, the MP said.
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
