News
Deputy Speaker finds fault with media over ‘insufficient coverage’ of Parliament
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Chairman of Open Parliament Caucus Mayantha Dissanayake Monday (16) said that the open parliament concept was meant to promote democracy beyond party politics. Therefore, the way members vote for a particular Bill, their absence at the time of voting and other matters weren’t issues for the Open Parliament Caucus, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) lawmaker said.
MP Dissanayake said so in response to The Island query regarding the deterioration of Parliament at a time such high profile projects were undertaken. MP Dissanayake also declined to comment on the arrest of MP Ali Sabry Raheem in March over an attempt to smuggle in gold and stock of smartphones worth Rs 78.4 mn. Raheem, elected from the Puttalam district on the SJB ticket at the last general election, is a member of the All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC), a constituent of the main Opposition SJB.
The Island raised the issues at hand with MP Dissanayake in the wake of a special workshop, conducted recently in Parliament, to promote open Parliament concept by educating senior public officials. The Office of the Director Legislative Services / Director Communication and local office of the US-funded National Democratic Institute (NDI) organized the workshop in line with NDI/USAID funded Open Government Partnership (OGP). Among those present were Secretaries to Ministries and District Secretaries. Premier Dinesh Gunawardena chaired the sessions.
Sri Lanka joined the multilateral platform OGP in 2015 leading to the formation of the Open Parliament Caucus meant to develop what the NDI called an open parliament plan. Deputy Speaker Ajith Rajapaksa has told the inauguration that the ordinary people would be given an opportunity to get in touch with members of Parliament and officials engaged in formulation of policy and constitution-making process. The Deputy Speaker pointed out how Parliament granted selected youth an opportunity to participate in the proceedings of Parliamentary Oversight Committees.
A statement issued by Parliament quoted the Deputy Speaker as having found fault with the media for failing to provide sufficient coverage for the formulation of new laws as well as other important work done by Parliament. According to the Hambantota District MP, lawmakers and officials faced a huge challenge for want of adequate reportage of the developments taking place in Parliament.
Appreciating the lawmakers joining the OGP initiative, regardless of political differences, MP Dissanayake said that a countrywide project, with the participation of 13 groups, including civil society, will be held to educate the public of their objectives.
On behalf of the public service, Anura Dissanayake, Secretary to the Premier, emphasized the responsibility on the part of government servants to help overcome challenges experienced in the implementation of such programmes.
Acting Secretary General of Parliament Chaminda Kularatne has explained the importance of the Oversight Committees (OCs) in the overall implementation of OGP while highlighting the sharing of Chairmanship of OCs by the government and the Opposition. The Government and Opposition MPs chaired nine and eight OCs, respectively, promoting democracy, Kularatne 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
