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Don’t blame Constitution for grave lapses of Ranil and Maithripala -JVP
By Saman Indrajith
The country’s failed socio-economic-political situation should not be blamed on its Constitution, JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake told Parliament yesterday (22).
Participating in the second reading debate on the 20th Amendment, Dissanayake said that the failure of the yahapalana regime should not be equated with the 19th Amendment. “The 19th Amendment to the Constitution came into force under the weakest political leaders in recorded political history of the country––Ranil Wickremesinghe and Maithripala Sirisena. Otherwise, the 19th Amendment would not have been seen to be a failure.
“Most of the amendments to the 1978 Constitution have been brought in by governments that had a two-thirds majority in Parliament. Every Opposition voted against those amendments. However, there are two amendments brought in by governments which had only a simple majority. One was the 17th Amendment to the Constitution and the other the 19th Amendment. It is noteworthy that they received the highest number of votes in favour. Only one MP voted against both amendments.
Thus, this government is able to present the 20th Amendment not because there is a consensus among different political parties, but because it has a two-thirds majority.”
Dissanayake said: “We do agree that the 19th Amendment to the Constitution had its own shortcomings. However, its core intention was to strengthen democratic governance. If we are getting rid of the loopholes of the 19th Amendment, we need to orient our attempt towards a more comprehensive democratic framework. For example, Professor G.L. Peiris pointed out that members of the Constitutional Council cannot be removed. So, an amendment should be brought in to allow the removal of such a CC member. But if you are removing the whole of CC, that is not an act of strengthening democracy. The 19th amendment would have been a success if it had come into effect under a responsible political leadership. Blaming the failure of two horrible political leaders upon the 19th Amendment to the Constitution is not fair. Failure of the rulers should not be blamed upon the country’s Constitution. It is politically incorrect. Problems this country has faced are not constitutional; the political rulers are responsible for them. It was the executive presidency that has a destructive power vested in it. That is how J. R. Jayewardene expelled trade union activists, prohibited political parties, opted for an open economy with serious flaws. So, this socio-economic-political chaos has not been created by the Constitution. We as a political party believe in partial centralisation of power, but that should be done not to vest more powers in an individual but to strengthen institutions.
Dissanayake was also critical of a new provision introduced by the 20th Amendment concerning the appointment of ministry secretaries. According to Dissanayake the new provision enables a ministry secretary appointed by the executive presidency to be absorbed into the government service after concluding his or her service as the ministry secretary. “For example, if a military person is appointed as a ministry secretary by the Executive President, the appointment becomes legal. Now, this new provision allows this appointed person, at the end of his service, be appointed as the Director General of the same institution. This is absorption to the government service.”
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
