News
Harin offers his seat to Ranjan
SJB Vice Chairman and National List MP Harin Fernando yesterday offered to resign from his parliamentary seat to enable former MP Ranjan Ramanayake to return to Parliament.
Speaking during a ceremony held at Wattala to mark the opening of the SJB party office, MP Fernando said: “I know that I have become a headache to this government and the President. They could easily get rid of that trouble. All they have to do is grant a full presidential pardon to Ranjan Ramanayake. If they do so I will resign from my seat and give it to Ranjan so that the government’s inconvenience caused by me in Parliament would be over.
“We have made many requests to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to consider granting a full presidential pardon to Ranjan. He is in prison not because of murder or any anti-social offence but because of his politics. None would find fault with the government for giving him a pardon,” MP Fernando said.
He said that it was not new for him to resign from the parliamentary seat for a worthy cause. “If I resign, the Opposition Leader or the General Secretary of the SJB can appoint a suitable individual. None would say that Ranjan is not suitable for the seat. I can engage in grassroots level politics but a person of Ranjan’s calibre should be in Parliament. It would be a win-win situation for all – to the government, to the SJB and to Ranjan,” MP Fernando said.
“After all, I have no intention of sticking to politics until death. I have issued an affidavit that I would retire from politics when I reach 60. There is no point in one doing politics after retirement age. That would only obstruct the upcoming of new leaders. I will retire from politics when I will be 60, giving the youth an opportunity. John Amaratunga became the organiser of the Wattala electorate in 1978 – the year I was born, and he held it for 42 years. He would have been here today if not for his health condition. However, I have no intention to remain in politics for 42 years more. I will resign from politics in 18 years allowing the youth to come up from Wattala, while doing the utmost for the electorate.
MP Patali Champika Ranawaka said the youth in the country today were going through challenging times.
Commenting on the consequences of older politicians not withdrawing from politics in order to provide opportunities to younger politicians, MP Ranawaka said during a recent discussion with academics from the Peradeniya University, it was revealed that there was a proposal to extend the retirement age for university professors to 75 years.
The MP said one Professor had pointed out that it was not practical to hold on to a post for so long as the youth would be deprived of opportunities.
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
