News
IGP lodges complaint against Chamuditha over disparaging comments on govt.
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Hiru anchor Chamuditha Samarawickrema has been told he was under investigation for undermining the government’s reputation.
After being summoned to the Colombo Crime Division (CCD), recently Samarawickrema had been asked to furnish a statement in respect of his controversial comments on a government move to import 100,000 kgs of ‘ponni’ rice after having repeatedly claimed that it was having a surplus of the staple, mismanagement of the ongoing Covid-19 vaccination drive and the rescinding of a decision to give Pfizer vaccine as the second dose to those who had received Oxford AstraZeneca (Covishield) first shot.
The former Media Director to President Maithripala Sirisena told The Island that he had declined to do so as he was not forewarned by the police as regards such an investigation when he reported to the CCD as requested. Samarawickrema said that he believed the CCD summoned him to record a second statement as regards his complaint pertaining to an alleged threat to his life following strong criticism of the police handling makeup artist Chandimal Jayasinghe having a party at the Shangri-La in violation of Covid-19 health guidelines.
The CCD had initiated an inquiry following a complaint received from IGP C. D. Wickremaratne.
Samarawickrema said that as far as he was aware, no TV presenter had ever been investigated for comments made on a live programme.
The police have shown Samarawickrema video footage of three statements in question made on Hiru morning show ‘Paththare Visthare’ in the recent past.
The police have put off recording Samarawickrema’s statement though he was to be questioned last Wednesday (14) at the CCD having been earlier summoned on July 09. The police have informed Samarawickrema that he would be notified when to appear at the CCD, Dematagoda.
Samarawickrema said that he was quite disappointed those in authority found fault with the media for simply taking up issues on behalf of the hapless public.
Media Minister and co-cabinet spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella recently told The Island that he consulted lawyers as regards Sirasa telecasts in particular and overall television reportage of various developments as the media couldn’t be allowed to abuse the freedom they enjoyed. The Minister said that the government respected the rights of the media though some sections obviously abused the print, electronic and social media.
Samarawickrema pointed out that the three issues the police wanted to question him had received the attention of independent media. Samarawickrema said that the media questioned Trade Minister Bandula Gunawardena’s declaration of planned rice imports as the Agriculture Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage was on record as having said he wouldn’t need rice imports. Aluthgamage declared that he was having a surplus of rice for the consumption of the local market. Samarawickrema said that the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) sought an explanation from the Director General of Health Services (DGHS) over serious lapses on the part of those responsible for the vaccination drive.
Referring to a recent The Island report, Samarawickrema said that the HRCSL alleged that DGHS didn’t even bother to respond to its request. The media from time to time exposed corruption, irregularities and nepotism in the vaccination programme though health and military authorities worked hard to achieve targets. Inoculation of hundreds of outsiders over a period of two days at Galle were case in point, Samarawickrema said, such shortcomings had been admitted in parliament by State Minister Prof. Channa Jayasumana. Subsequently, two senior doctors were moved out of Galle and now a case was being heard in that regard, Samarawickrema 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.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
