News
Foreign hand in Gotabaya’s ouster: Chief Govt. Whip wants thorough probe
Speaker: ‘What is there to investigate?’
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Chief Government Whip Prasanna Ranatunga yesterday (26) said that against the backdrop of Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena’s recent disclosure of a powerful foreign role in the violent public protest campaign that overthrew President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, re-examination of May 09/10 and July 09/14 events was necessary.
The Gampaha District SLPP leader said so when The Island asked him why all political parties, represented in Parliament, including the ruling party, remained silent on the Speaker’s declaration on March 21.
Having comfortably defeated a No-Confidence Motion (NCM) moved against him by the Opposition, Speaker Abeywardena, after having remained silent for nearly two years, said for the first time that local and foreign conspirators asked him to take over the presidency and later threatened to harm him unless he cooperated with their strategy.
The Island asked Minister Ranatunga why political parties and various other interested groups were demanding an investigation into MP Maithripala Sirisena’s claim that he knew the mastermind of the 2019 Easter Sunday carnage but remained silent on the Speaker’s bombshell disclosure. Ranatunga assured that he would raise the issue at the Party Leaders’ meeting.
National Freedom Front (NFF) leader Wimal Weerawansa alleged, in his book, Nine: The Hidden Story, that US Ambassador in Colombo Julie Chung had invited Speaker Abeywardena to succeed President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on July 13, 2022.
Ranatunga said that he was not satisfied at all with the ongoing investigations into the premeditated violence directed at SLPPers across the country after attacks on Aragalaya activists besieging Temple Trees and occupying Galle Face on the evening of May 09, 2022.
Minister Ranatunga said that though a case filed against the police and military for their failure to thwart destruction of public property had been withdrawn in late May last year after an assurance received from the Public Security Ministry regarding a fresh inquiry, they were in the dark as to the progress of that investigation.
Responding to further questions, Minister Ranatunga said as one of several dozen politicians who lost personal property due to violence unleashed by organised gangs, he complained to the Human Rights Commission. “I have provided video evidence to facilitate the HRC investigation and appeared before them twice but the progress is slow. Very slow,” lawmaker Ranatunga said.
Speaker Abeywardena said that he wouldn’t pursue the matter. “What is there to investigate further,” Speaker Abeywardena said when The Island asked him whether he intended to take this up at the party leaders’ meeting.
The Speaker indicated that he didn’t see any point in pursuing foreign hand in Aragalaya when The Island pointed out angry reactions to MP Sirisena’s claim on the Easter Sunday mastermind and silence on his shocking acknowledgement of foreign hand in Aragalaya.
Minister Ranatunga said that they were clueless as to the status of the investigation. The police and military could have thwarted the attack on my residence but they did nothing, Minister Ranatunga said, emphasising the responsibility on the part of the government to punish those responsible for destruction of private properties. Similarly, those who failed to act, too, should be punished, the Minister 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.
