News
Govt. sees conspiracy behind grenade found in Church
Minister of Law and Order Sarath Weerasekera yesterday said that the recent detection of a hand grenade at All Saints Church, on Ananda Rajakaruna Mawatha, Borella, and a similar detection at Lanka Hospital were masterminded by a single person to undermine the government and the Police.
Speaking to the media in Colombo, the Minister also rejected the allegations made by the Catholic Church that the Police was attempting to create a false narrative about the incident.
“After we received the complaint, the Police started the investigation. The Police discovered that the same person who had informed the priest about the grenade was the one who planted it through a child. The Police arrested four people and a 13-year-old child, living at a nearby house, told the magistrate that one of the four men had got him to move the bomb. The suspect also admitted this. Police also found evidence in the suspect’s room.
if someone says that these information is false, this is bad. When people issue statements undermining the police, people lose faith in police,” the Minister said.
The Minister said that they are also looking for a man with a limp in connection with the incident. On Thursday, the Church released footage of a man with a limp who was behaving suspiciously in the All Saints Church and claimed that instead of trying to ascertain the truth the police had detained a person working in the church.
“If the fathers have information relevant to the case, the church must inform the police. This is their responsibility. When revelations are made to media, in the middle of the investigation, those involved can hide and become harder to find. Also when you start suspecting the Police from the start, things can go wrong,” Minister Weerasekera said.
The Minister said that they will find the mastermind behind this incident and a detection of the grenade at the Lanka hospital.
“It has only been two days. We usually tell people involved in a case not to release CCTV footage to media. What if suspects hide and harder to find? Who is responsible then? This helps the suspects. However we have arrested the main suspect and, through him we will find others,” Minister Weerasekera said.
On Thursday, Archbishop of Colombo Rt. Rev. Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith asked whether the recent detection of ahand grenade at All Saints Church, on Ananda Rajakaruna Mawatha, Borella was part of a conspiracy. The Cardinal questioned the failure on the part of the police to ascertain the identity of an unidentified person whoentered the Church at 9.52 am on Tuesday (11).
The Church released the video footage of a man carrying a shopping bag entering the premises. He was also captured on camera taking something out of his pocket and leaving it behind a statue. Addressing the media in Colombo, the Catholic leader alleged that the police had checked the video footage; he emphasised the need to establish the identity of the person who limped and was not a Catholic. The Cardinal said that the unidentified person had not prayed and walked away when questioned by someone. The church also released the video footage of the man leaving the church.
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
