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Corruption: Ex-top House official alleges negligence of successive Speakers
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Civil society activist and former Parliament Director Administration Lacille de Silva says that the Speaker should be held responsible for the continuing failure to initiate action in respect of reports submitted to the House.
The outspoken ex-official said so when The Island asked him whether he backed lawmaker Prof. Charitha Herath’s push for the empowerment of the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) to directly seek the intervention of the Attorney General. SLPP National List MP Herath recently alleged that his effort, in his former capacity as Chairman, the COPE, hasn’t found favour with the Parliament.
De Silva said that actually the Speaker could forward any report to the Attorney General or any other investigating authority, including the Committee to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC).
Responding to another query, De Silva emphasised that the Speaker was not bound by Standing Orders 119, 120 and 121 as regards the Committee on Public Accounts, Committee on Public Enterprises and Committee on Public Finance, respectively.
Lacille de Silva served as Director Administration from 2003 to 2013. The Speaker didn’t answer his hand phone. His staff promised to arrange the Speaker to call The Island though it didn’t materialize at the time we went to press.
The former official said that incumbent Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena and his predecessors owed an explanation as to why disclosures made by watchdog committees hadn’t been sent to the Attorney General, CIABOC et al.
Emphasising the primary responsibilities of the Parliament as public finance and enactment of laws, De Silva said that the recent declaration by the UN Human Rights Commissioner that economic crimes had been perpetrated in Sri Lanka should be examined by the Parliament. The UN has called for punitive action against those responsible.
De Silva said that though Foreign Minister Ali Sabry, PC, in his address to the ongoing 51 session of the Geneva-based UNHRC challenged the body for taking up an internal issue of the country, the Parliament couldn’t absolve itself of the responsibility for the current debt crisis.
The ex-official said that there had been only a few instances of the parliamentary reports being used against corruption. De Silva cited the Supreme Court ruling in respect of the acquisition of Lanka Marine Services by John Keells as a glaring case in point.
The historic judgment was delivered on July 21, 2008. De Silva said that the Supreme Court annulled that particular transaction and should have influenced the Parliament to use findings made by the watchdogs to fight corruption.
The ex-House administration head compared the responsibilities of the judiciary and the Speaker. Emphasizing he wasn’t targeting any individual, De Siva alleged that the Parliament still seemed to be on the same agenda even after the government accepted Sri Lanka’s bankrupt status.
The public protest campaign that forced Gotabaya Rajapaksa to give up executive office in July and continuing public agitation should prompt the Parliament at least now to take control of public finance. But, extremely serious allegations, directed at the Parliament by former COPE Chief Prof. Herath, meant that at least a section of lawmakers didn’t have faith in the parliamentary system. De Silva said that if the incumbent Speaker felt that Prof. Herath’s accusations were unjustifiable, the lawmaker should be appropriately dealt with.
Had successive Speakers exercised the powers without serving the interests of their respective parties, Sri Lanka wouldn’t have ended up bankrupt, De Silva said. Perhaps the Parliament should categorize reports received over the years and take tangible measures to have those on waste, corruption, irregularities and mismanagement examined, the ex-official said.
De Silva said that whatever party exercised executive powers, the legislature always managed to cover up corruption. Could any of the Speakers, since the enactment of the 1978 Constitution, explain why action hadn’t been taken in respect of findings made by the parliamentary watchdog committees, he asked.
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
