News
Govt. MPs before new Constitution making committee today
Sharp differences over Executive Prez, unitary status et al
By Shamindra Ferdinando
A nine-member committee tasked with preparing a draft Constitution is scheduled to meet government representatives over the weekend.
The SLPP (Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna), PHU (Pivithuru Hela Urumaya), NFF (National Freedom Front) and MEP (Mahajana Eksath Peramuna) will make representations before the Committee.
The committee appointed in the first week of Sept. 2020 consists of Romesh de Silva PC, Gamini Marapana PC, Manohara De Silva PC, Sanjeewa Jayawardena PC, Samantha Ratwatte PC, Prof. Naazima Kamardeen, Dr. A. Sarveswaran, Prof. Wasantha Seneviratne and Prof. G.H. Peiris.
Romesh de Silva heads the committee.Sources said that the SLPP, PHU and NFF would make representations today (23) and the MEP tomorrow (24).
The government members will be the first to appear before the committee.
The NFF recently submitted a set of proposals to the committee. In addition to the NFF, civil society grouping Yuthukama represented in parliament made written submissions to the committee. However, the largest parliamentary group in parliament, the SLPP and the main Opposition, the SJB (Samagi Jana Balavegaya) refrained from submitting proposals.
A spokesperson for the PHU told The Island that his party’s proposals would be handed over today (23).
Sources said that the SLPP constituents were divided on some critical issues with the NFF, PHU and Yuthukama opposing somekey sections of the 20th Amendment to the Constitution enacted last October.
The committee had already done certain chapters. Contentious issues would be handled following further consultations.
Political parties represented in parliament, others that submitted proposals and those yet to officially make their position clear differ with the SLPP on the executive presidency.
The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) has asked for the abolition of the executive presidency. It wants a ceremonial president whereas civil society group the National Peace Council asked for two Vice Presidents to represent Tamil and Muslim communities. The election monitoring group, PAFFREL called for the election of the President through a vote in parliament.
The TNA and several other parties, both in and outside parliament want the Prime Minister to head the Cabinet though in terms of the much amended Constitution the President remained the head of the cabinet.
The TNA, in its proposals, has recommended that both lands and police should be devolved subjects as provided for in the 13th Amendment.
The TNA comprising the Illankai Thamil Arasu Kadchi, TELO and PLOTE has called for a region for the Northern and Eastern Provinces. The proposal to categorize Northern and Eastern Provinces under one Region wasn’t acceptable to the many political parties, sources said, referring to the de-merged caused by a Supreme Court ruling way back in 2006.
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
