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FSP sees something sinister in President attempting to simplify rules and regulations
By Rathindra Kuruwita
The commission appointed by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa purportedly to simplify existing laws and regulations was his latest attempt to neutralise institutions that acted as a countervailing force against the state and private actors, Frontline Socialist Party (FSP) Education Secretary Pubudu Jayagoda told The Island yesterday.
Jayagoda said such action will have a devastating impact on the general public.
“This commission headed by Adviser to the President Lalith Weeratunga and Chairman of John Keells Group Krishan Balendra has a lot of private sector people as members. The government is determined to allow the private sector to maximise profit at the expense of the people and the environment.”
The FSP Education Secretary said that this commission should not be taken in isolation. The vision of President Rajapaksa is one of deregulation and weakening of social contracts and ethics that prevent individuals from doing things that are harmful to the society.
“Former British Prime Minister and arch neoliberal Margaret Thatcher said that there was no such thing as society and that there were only individual men and women. The current President seems to have been cut from the same cloth.
“At the Cabinet meeting on 21 December 2020, there was a discussion on the role of various regulatory institutions, from the Geological Survey and Mines Bureau (GSMB) to the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL). The President was reportedly of the view that these institutions stalled development. No one said a word against it.”
A few days later the PUCSL was scrapped by a letter signed by Secretary to the President, P.B. Jayasundera.”
The FSP Education Secretary said that the PUCSL had been established by an act of Parliament, which alone could dissolve it. To overcome that obstacle the government later asked the Commission members to resign.
“Soon, there will be no one to regulate the power sector, etc., and the sky will be the limit for crooked companies hell bent on profit maximisations.
Soon after the President came into power, and a new Cabinet was appointed, they said there was no need to get permits to transport granite, soil and sand. When many objected, the government said permits would be issued, but Police won’t check. How absurd! Later, the government backtracked due to pressure but in the 2021 budget proposals, it came up with a proposal to hand over the power of issuing extracting permits to an entity appointed by the President.”
Jayagoda said that currently, before allowing anyone to extract granite, sand, soil, etc., the GSMB first had to examine the site and approve it. Then the Central Environment Authority (CEA) examines the environmental aspect and the Divisional Secretary and the Grama Niladari look at social and administration issues of allowing the project.
“Now, all powers will be given an entity appointed by the President. This is not the end of this. At the Cabinet meeting I mentioned earlier, they spoke about scrapping or weakening all regulatory bodies, including the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA.) Yes, there are complaints that commissions that are there to protect people and their rights are inefficient. Successive governments have also promoted this idea that there is no point in even complaining. If these institutions are inefficient, they should be made better. They must not be done away with under any circumstances.
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
