News
EC Chief defends Ranil’s NL appointment, admits Constitutional deficiencies
Nagananda plans to move SC
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Attorney-at-Law Nagananda Kodituwakku yesterday (4) told The Island that he intends to move the Supreme Court this week against the Chairman of the Election Commission (EC), Nimal Punchihewa, for accommodating UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe on the National List, in contravention of Section 99A of the Constitution.
Attorney-at-Law Punchihewa, who previously served as a member of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL), couldn’t be unaware of the Section 99A introduced by the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, enacted in May 1988, Nagananda said.
In terms of the 99A, National List slots had to be filled by members from the original NL list, submitted to the EC before the general election, or those who were on district lists, Kodituwakku said, adding that the Section stipulated vacancies had to be filled within seven days after respective General Secretaries of political parties and independent groups received intimation as regards slots allocated.
Of the 225 member parliament, 29 are appointed through the NL.
Kodituwakku said that on behalf of Sri Lanka Vinivida Peramuna, he informed Punchihewa on July 1 via email their decision to move SC in respect Wickremesinghe entering parliament.
Responding to accusations, lawyer Punchihewa told The Island that though the 99A specified names that had to be submitted within a week after receiving intimation from the EC, it didn’t specify what action the EC could take in case submissions weren’t made. Punchihewa said that the EC in January this year proposed an amendment in respect of the NL to a group of experts formulating the new Constitution. Punchihewa said that the EC suggested that it should be constitutionally empowered to name those in the NL as MPs, in case respective political parties failed to make submissions within days. There was no point in denying the serious deficiencies in the supreme law, Punchihewa said, underscoring the need to address those issues.
Responding to another query, Punchihewa pointed out that Section 99A should be read with the relevant section of the Parliamentary Elections Act, No. 1 of 1981. According to him, the Constitution and the Parliamentary Election Act, No 1 of 1981 were silent in filling vacancies in case those who had been originally appointed to the NL resigned.
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
