News
Election watchdog calls for electing President, PM without divisions
The People’s Action for Free & Fair Elections (PAFFREL) says the President and Prime Minister of the Interim Government should be elected in unison with all the political parties in Parliament avoiding any kind of voting for any reason.Issuing a statement, PAFFREL stressed that parties should not take any decision to create divisions and go for a vote during the process to elect a new President and a Prime Minister.
“It is clear from their behavior that there are public representatives who have not yet understood the economic, political and social instability in which Sri Lanka is at the moment and the inevitable responsibility you have as political party leaders and parliamentarians to change that situation,” the election monitor noted.
“If we all do not work together at this moment, no one will be able to prevent you, the politicians, and us, the citizens, from being drawn towards all destruction.
Whoever gets the government in the future will have to make unpopular decisions and although we citizens are not directly responsible for this disaster, the citizens will also have to make great sacrifices. Therefore, we request all of you party leaders and members of parliament to pay attention to the following points while choosing the president and the prime minister.
1. The President and Prime Minister of the Interim Government should be chosen in unison with all the political parties. Avoid going to polls for any reason.
2. Avoid considering only the numerical majority of the respective political parties in the parliament while choosing.
3. Avoid doing activities and expressing opinions that cause any division or agreement between political parties.
4. Set aside personal agendas, political agendas or narrow parties and power agendas and work for the country and the people as the priority.
5. Avoid making decisions at this difficult moment targeting the upcoming elections.
6. When choosing the next cabinet, make sure to include at least one person from all the parties represented in the parliament.
7. Also, in choosing the cabinet, make sure to select those who can make a positive contribution to solving the economic, social and political crises and managing international situations and not displeased by the people
8. If the president or prime minister of an all-party government invites you to a cabinet minister position, avoid refusing it.
We believe that all political parties should pay attention to the above matters. Also, when choosing the cabinet, political parties should focus on selecting a creative team that is ready to take risks, has practice in crisis management and free from conventionality. If not, it will be inevitable that the existing crisis will intensify and lead to a bigger crisis from which the country will not be able to recover.
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
