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Debate on Port City Bill will be held when SC conveys its decision – Govt.
By Saman Indrajith
Chief Government Whip Highways Minister Johnston Fernando told Parliament yesterday that the Colombo Port City Economic Commission Bill would be taken up for debate when the Supreme Court conveyed its decision thereon to the House.
“The Supreme Court decision has not yet been conveyed to the Speaker. Therefore, the party leaders’ meeting decided to put off the debate and to debate the prevailing situation and the pandemic instead on Wednesday. It was also decided to debate the Port City Bill on the first available day after the Supreme Court informs the Speaker of its ruling. The Supreme Court is bound to give its decision within 21 days,” Minister Fernando said.
Fernando said that there was no point in taking the matter up for debate without knowing the Supreme Court ruling.
Whenever a Bill was challenged in the Supreme Court its parliamentary process was delayed until the ruling of the court was conveyed to the House. “This is the tradition. The Opposition Leader and his MPs should know that. The Bill will be passed only after the debate. Today, you are asking us to conduct the debate without the Supreme Court ruling. It is sub judice until the court’s decision is conveyed to the House. In addition, what do you intend to say in the debate without knowing the Court’s ruling?”
Minister Fernando said: “There are many MPs and ministers in the government rank to speak on the Bill and to permit time to them we have decided to postpone questions time. We have also decided to hold the session from morning to 8.00 pm. Therefore, do not make wild allegations that we are running away from the debate. It is we who brought the Bill and we are ready to debate it. We are also awaiting to expose the lies of the Opposition in the debate. You have been lying about the Port City since 2015. You have been accusing us of a building a Chinese colony. The JVP said that not even the stones of the Sigiriya rock mountain would be sufficient for the Port City. That was in the same manner they raised allegations that the Southern Expressway was being built for the Rajapaksa family to bring curd to Colombo. Now, all those lies have been exposed. In the same way, we need this debate to prove you are wrong. We will hold the debate and will pass this Bill.”
The party leaders’ meeting chaired by Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena yesterday (04) decided not to hold the debate on the Colombo Port City Economic Commission Bill today (05).
Instead, the adjournment debate on the country’s situation in the face of the Covid 19 would be held from 10.00 am to 4.30 pm without a lunch break, Secretary General of Parliament Dhammika Dasanayake said.
Dasanayake said that the decision against holding the debate had been taken as Parliament had not yet received the determination of the Supreme Court with regard to the petitions filed over the Colombo Port City Economic Commission Bill.
After receiving the determination of the Supreme Court, party leaders would have to take a decision on when the debate should be held, the Secretary General said.
The Committee on Parliamentary Business decided on April 30 to hold this week’s Parliamentary sittings on May 04 and 05 only, due to the prevailing situation.
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
