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Debate on VAT Bill: Parliament session adjourned
By Saman indrajith
Parliament session allotted for the Second Reading debate on the Value Added Tax (Amendment) Bill and the Finance Bill were put off yesterday for want of a quorum.
The debate was scheduled to be held from 9.30 am to 4.30 pm as decided in the Committee on Parliamentary Business, chaired by Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, on Nov 20.
State Finance Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya moved the House for the debate on the VAT (Amendment) Bill. He said that VAT would be imposed on 97 out of the 138 goods that had previously been exempt from the tax in a bid to boost state revenue. He said Short Message Service (SMS) in fixed telephone networks would also be subjected to VAT, given the increased number of text messages sent. Medicines, equipment used by disabled persons, rice flour, wheat flour, vegetables, fruits, liquid milk, and the ‘Suwaseriya’ ambulance service would not be subjected to VAT, the State Minister said.
However, as the debate was in progress, Kurunegala District SJB MP Nalin Bandara, pointed out that there was no quorum in the House. He accused the government of trying to hoodwink the due process in passing the VAT bill. The MP said that there weren’t 20 MPs in the 225-member House and as such it was wrong to continue the debate without the quorum.
State Finance Minister Shehan Semasinghe said that the vote on the bill was scheduled to be taken later in the evening and the government MPs would be there in the House on time for the vote and the debate could be continued.
Chief Opposition Whip Kandy District SJB MP Lakshman Kiriella said the debate could not be held if documents with the relevant information were not available.
State Minister Semasinghe said two separate lists which included 300 items on which VAT was imposed and the list which included the items which are exempted were available. “You can find the list for which VAT will be imposed,” he said.
However, the Opposition MPs walked out at that moment.
Owing to protests from the Opposition, the Deputy Speaker decided to suspend the proceedings and ordered that the quorum bell be rung.
However, the number of the MPs who responded to the quorum bell was fewer than 20 when the count was taken after five minutes of the ringing of the quorum bell twice.
Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa took away his party MPs in protest against the proposal of increasing the VAT to 18 percent.The Deputy Speaker adjourned sittings until 9.30 this morning.
Parliament sources said that some SLPP MPs were opposed to the VAT increase therefore they were absent yesterday. They would continue to be absent this morning too, the sources said.
The last three days of the Committee Stage Debate of the budget will be held from Monday the 11th to Wednesday the 13th and the division on the third reading of the Appropriation Bill (Budget) for the financial year 2024 is scheduled to be held on the 13th at 6.00 pm.
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
