News
EC seeks Rs 30 bn for polls next year
By Rathindra Kuruwita
The Election Commission (EC) has asked the Treasury for Rs. 30 billion for elections in 2024, Commissioner General of Elections (CGE), Saman Sri Ratnayake says.However, the Constitutional Council (CC) had not yet appointed all members to the Elections Commission, Ratnayake said.
According to the CGE, only four out of five members have been appointed to the EC so far.Given that the quorum was only three, the commissioners were carrying out their duties and functions, Ratnayake said, adding that the Presidential Commission of Inquiry tasked with investigating existing election laws and regulations and recommending changes had not yet approached the EC for discussions. President Ranil Wickremesinghe appointed the commission.
Ratnayake added that a few years before the Commission had sought public opinion on changes to the election laws.
“We believe that deposits should be increased for those contesting presidential, general and provincial council elections. We have proposed this. Steps are being taken to draft a law.” he said.
A candidate from a political party contesting for a provincial council does not need to place a deposit, he said. The Commission has suggested that such a candidate place a deposit of 10,000 rupees that will be repaid and a 1,000 rupee deposit that will not be rebated.
“We also suggested the same for a candidate from a political party contesting the general elections. We believe that a person contesting the presidential election must make a deposit of 2.6 million rupees. 2.5 million rupees of the deposit will be repaid following the election. We also suggested that an independent
candidate must place a deposit of 3.1 million rupees, out of which 3 million rupees will be returned.”
Thirty five candidates contested the 2019 presidential election. In 2015, there were 19 candidates, Ratnayake said.
“Most people don’t understand how the number of candidates affects our expenses. The length of the ballot paper is determined by the number of candidates, which in turn determines how many ballot papers can be accommodated in a ballot box. The number of ballot boxes we need determine the size of the polling centre. It also determines what kind of a vehicle is needed to transport ballot boxes to a polling centre. We also need to treat all candidates equally, which means more staff. Spending a lot wouldn’t matter if there was real competition among these candidates, but we all know that there are only a handful of real players involved,” he said.
The Commissioner General of Elections added that they have asked the Treasury to allocate funding to hold a presidential, provincial, and local government elections in 2024.
“There are no scheduled elections in Sri Lanka. Provincial councils have not been held for years, but those in power can hold them anytime they want. So in the past few years, when a Budget is being prepared, and we are asked by the Treasury to provide an estimate, we always ask for funding to hold the provincial elections. We have asked for 30 billion rupees for these elections. We have also told the Treasury that a general election will cost 11 billion rupees. If the President dissolves Parliament, he is anyway bound by the Constitution to provide us with money,” he 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
