News
Ex-State Minister of Defence informs court SIS Chief apologised for not alerting him
Easter Sunday attacks:
By A.J.A. Abeynayake
Former State Defence Minister Ruwan Wijewardena yesterday (14) told the special three-member Colombo High Court bench that the then State Intelligence Service (SIS) Chief DIG Nilantha Jayawardena had apologised to him for not informing him of the intelligence alert regarding impending Easter Sunday attacks.
Evidence was led by Deputy Solicitor General Sudarshana de Silva.
Wijewardena said that though he had been appointed the Acting Minister of Defence on about five occasions when President Maithripala Sirisena went overseas the relevant letters of appointment were always delivered to him only after the President’s return.
Wijewardena said that DIG Jayawardena had admitted to having made a mistake by not providing all intelligence information to the State Defence Minister though it had been sent to the Defence Secretary, the IGP and others via Whatsapp.
The former State Defence Minister said he had received a call from the then Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe soon after the Easter Sunday attacks. Although on the PM’s instructions, the Defence Secretary, the IGP and others had been invited to Temple Trees on four occasions none of them had turned up, Wijewardena said.
Wijewardena quoted Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando as having told him that the National Security Council couldn’t be summoned without the President’s approval. He said he hadn’t been able to reach President Sirisena, who was away in Singapore at the time.
Wijewardena said that at the beginning of yahapalana administration the National Security Council had met every Wednesday and the security review meeting had been held on Tuesday. However, later the National Security Council met once or twice a month whenever President Sirisena summoned meetings.
Wijewardene said that at a meeting attended by both the President and the Prime Minister he had proposed in 2018 that the Chief of National Intelligence (CNI) be given wide powers and all services share information. But that proposal had not been implemented, the former MP said, adding that he and Prime Minister Wickremesinghe had not been invited to attend the National Security Council meetings since 20 Dec. 2018, and the Defence Secretary had told him they were not invited because the President didn’t like their presence.
Although he had been appointed the State Defence Minister as an elected MP, he had not been able to perform his duties and functions due to President Sirisena’s conduct.
Hearing resumes today (15)
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
