News
DEW disappointed over disruption of COPE; AG acting in terms of Standing Orders
One-time Chairman of the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) DEW Gunasekera yesterday (21) said that he was disappointed by the disruption of the vital House committee over the appointment of SLPP lawmaker Rohitha Abeygunawardena as its head.
Kalutara District MP Abeygunawardena was elected Chairman, COPE, on 07 March, this year by a majority vote. The SLPPer defeated Gamini Waleboda, MP, a member of the National Freedom Front (NFF), who also contested the last general election on the SLPP ticket.
The former Communist Party General Secretary told The Island that he wouldn’t comment on MP Abeygunawardena’s suitability nor the circumstances he succeeded Dr. Ranjith Bandara but was really sorry that the whole process suffered a serious setback due to the Opposition decision to boycott the proceedings.
The COPE consists of 31 members. The ex-MP Gunasekera said that COPE reflected the party composition in the House and had been established under the Standing Order 126 at the beginning of each parliamentary session and the Chairman elected by the members of the Committee at its first session. Its quorum is four.
In the absence of Opposition MPs, the COPE proceedings would never be the same, the ex-MP said, urging the political parties, represented in Parliament, to address this issue without further delay. The CP veteran pointed out that the Parliament, as the supreme institution, owed the public an explanation on how it intended to resolve this matter.
“This issue cannot be delayed pending presidential polls or have they decided to put this on the back burner,” the former Minister said, adding that President Ranil Wickremesinghe, in his capacity as the Finance Minister, should get involved in the issue at hand.
Auditor General W.P.C. Wickremaratne, who attends COPE and COPA (Committee on Public Accounts) declined to comment on the dispute. Asked to explain the AG’s role, as well as that of his Department in the proceedings, Wickremaratne said that in terms of the Standing Orders 119 and 120, his responsibility was to assist the COPA and the COPE, respectively.
Wickremaratne emphasized the importance of AGD’s role when its reports were taken up at the two House Committees.
Former MP Gunasekera said that the Parliament, as an institution, should be seriously concerned over the disruption of the COPE for nearly two months. Responding to another query, Gunasekera said that if the Parliament allowed the COPE to deteriorate it would cause a debilitating setback to, what he called, a critically important parliamentary oversight on the state sector waste, corruption, irregularities and mismanagement.
Gunasekera said that the first investigation on the 2015 Treasury bonds scam was conducted by the COPE. That should be sufficient to underscore the importance of the watchdog committee, the ex-MP said, adding he wouldn’t be surprised if some political parties felt COPE existence was nothing but a hindrance (SF)
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
