News
Ex-COPE chief denies he was behind prorogation of Parliament
… Dissident SLPPers express contradictory views
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Prof. Ranjith Bandara, MP, yesterday (09) said that there was absolutely no basis for claims that he was asked to step down as Chairman of the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) by anyone.
The SLPP National List MP said so when The Island sought his response to Pivithru Hela Urumaya (PHU) leader Udaya Gammanpila’s claim that President Ranil Wickremesinghe prorogued Parliament thus dissolved over 60 parliamentary committees just to get rid of one MP who refused to step down.
Colombo District MP Gammanpila made the declaration in Parliament on Thursday (08). National Freedom Front (NFF) leader Wimal Weerawansa, MP, recently alleged that President Wickremesinghe prorogued Parliament to save Prof. Bandara, embroiled in a controversy over his handling of the COPE investigation into Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC).
Declaring that he hadn’t been asked to quit, under any circumstances, the academic pointed out that the two Opposition MPs contradicted each other.
President Wickremesinghe prorogued Parliament in accordance with the powers vested in him under Article 70 (1) of the Constitution with effect from midnight January 26. The fifth session of the Ninth Parliament commenced on 07 February. COPE is among the committees that had been dissolved due to the prorogation, the second time since Wickremesinghe became President after the Parliament voted him in to complete the balance term of the elected President Gatabaya Rajapaksa after apparent foreign instigated violent protests ousted him.
Prof. Bandara dismissed Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) and Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa’s demand for him to give up leadership of COPE over the SLC controversy as nothing but political rhetoric.
Several members of the Opposition asked Prof. Bandara to step down, at least temporarily, to facilitate the probe on SLC in respect of the Auditor General’s report on the disastrous T 20 cricket tour of Australia. The Opposition subsequently stepped up pressure on Prof. Bandara in the wake of revelation that his son participated in COPE proceedings as well as his previous dealings with SLC. Prof. Bandara is on record as having said that his son Kanishka attended COPE proceedings in his capacity as co coordinating secretary to the COPE Chairman.
Addressing Parliament on Thursday the PHU leader pointed out that the Parliament elected in 1977 lasted till 1989-a period of 12 years but there were only eight sessions throughout that period. The former Power and Energy Minister said that prorogation of Parliament disrupted many committees and such a course of action to remove chairman of one committee must be a world record.
However, dissident SLPP National List MP Prof. G. L. Peiris told a media briefing early this week, at his Kirula Road residence, that the prorogation of Parliament was meant to disrupt the workings of six parliamentary committees which dealt with public finance.
The dissolved mechanisms were the Public Finance Commission, the Public Accounts Committee, Committee on Public Enterprises, Economic Stabilization Committee, Ways and Means Committee and Banking Sector and Financial Management Committee. According to Prof. Peiris, out of 91 committees in operation in Parliament, 64 have been dissolved.
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
