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Death of Ven. Baddegama Samitha Thera, a great loss to the nation – LSSP
The Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP) mourns the passing away of one of its leaders, Ven. Baddegama Samitha Thera. He died in Matara of Covid-19 illness on Sunday, May 30 at the age of 69. He had his early education in Baddegama, taking to the robes as a teenager, and later at the Universities of Kelaniya (1976), where he was the President of the Student Wing and later Lancaster, United Kingdom, where he fought against apartheid.
He was a student leader with a militant history. He joined the LSSP in 1994. In 1997, he was elected a member of the Southern Provincial Council and led the party in the Southern province. In 2001, he created history by becoming the first Bhikshu to be elected to Parliament. He campaigned on behalf of the people specially when they were being exploited by officials and politicians. He espoused the politics of the LSSP with vigour, making full use of his oratorical skills, and gained a reputation for making skillful arguments, LSSP leader Professor Tissa Vitarana said in a condolence message.
Ven. Baddegama Samitha was soon elected to the leading organs of the party, the Central Committee and then the Politbureau, where he played a leading role in decision-making. As an orator and a genial personality who served the people both day and night, he was a popular figure. His political life was marked by his consistent struggle against all types of injustice against the people, specially by officials, employers and all manner of exploiters, like petty traders. He made a name as a fighter for social and political justice, the message said.
He fought against religious and racial prejudice. He established links with leaders of other religions to unite the nation. He fought against Sinhala Buddhist extremism and majoritarianism. As a member of the LSSP, he participated in many conferences both here and abroad where he effectively espoused his positions on behalf of the people and the country, it noted.
After he lost his position in Parliament in 2004, he served as an active member of the Southern Provincial Council. He did much development work and helped the people. He promoted education. Every year, he hired buses and took school children from the South to events in Colombo, like the annual Book Exhibition. He helped cultivators to overcome issues like the fertilizer problem. He helped organize the workers, specially the Tamils, and fought for their rights. He was active on national issues and was one of the first to lead a demonstration, the message further said.
While Ven. Baddegama Samitha preached the Buddha dharma, he always repeated what the Buddha said, that the listener will benefit only if he is not hungry. He therefore carried out a fight to eliminate poverty and achieve social justice all his adult life right to the end by trying to achieve these objectives right to the end as a member of LSSP and along with the political Left, like the CP, and other progressive forces like the SLFP and SLPP, Prof. Vitarana added.
May his Samsara gamana be happy and fruitful. May he attain Nibbana.
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
