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Implementation of National policy on prevention of child abuse 21 years late– COPE
TNA MP Shanakiya Rasamanickam questioning officials of the National Child Protection Authority during last Friday’s COPE investigation
Chairman of the parliamentary watchdog committee – COPE (Committee on Public Enterprises), Prof. Charitha Herath had instructed the relevant authorities of the National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) coming under the Ministry of Education to expedite the implementation of a national policy which was one of the primary responsibilities of the Authority, parliament sources said.
Prof Herath issued the instructions at the COPE committee meeting held on Friday, Feb 12.
The COPE committee disclosed that the NCPA had been established in 1998 to formulate a national policy on the prevention of child abuse and the protection of children.
However, the ommittee pointed out that the implementation of a national policy had not been carried out accordingly paving the way for a delay of 21 years. The Committee emphasised the importance of expediting the implementation of the national policy which had been already approved.
MPs Jagath Pushpakumara, Eran Wickramaratne, Premnath C. Dolawaththa, Shanakiya Rasamanickam and officials representing the NCPA were present on the occasion.
It was also brought to the Committees’ attention that annual reports of the Authority for the years 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 had not been submitted to Parliament so far. Expressing displeasure at the delay, the COPE Chairman instructed the Secretary to the Ministry of Education and the Secretary to the Ministry of State to immediately look into the matter and submit the relevant annual reports to Parliament within two months.
It was revealed that Rs. 9 million had been spent on creating a database for the authority in 2016, 2017 and a grant of Rs. 1.2 million had also been provided by the Department of Computer Studies, the University of Colombo to develop a software. The COPE committee emphasised that although it was important to prepare such a database, there should be a proper methodology as regards the utilisation of state funds. Thus, the Committee instructed the Secretary to the Ministry to immediately conduct an internal investigation and submit a report thereon urgently.
Although a legal framework had been introduced to regulate the transportation of school children as a measure to prevent child abuse, the COPE committee pointed out that it had not yet been implemented. The Chairman of the The Committee instructed to expedite the implementation of the regulations by employing the newly appointed graduates.
The Committee also raised concerns over the difficulties faced by the victims due to delays in hearing child abuse cases. Emphasis was placed on the importance of developing a system to set a timeframe for finishing such cases.
It was revealed that although 3,165 child protection committees had been set up in schools to prevent child abuse, only 2,392 of them were active. The Committee recommended that action be taken to ensure that all of them were active.
It was also revealed that the Authority had received 89,405 complaints between 2011 and 2020 and as at 31.01.2021, the number of unresolved complaints brought forward was 40,668. The Committee stated that it was unfortunate to have only one person working in the Law Enforcement Division to handle complaints. The Committee also directed that the Law Enforcement Division be strengthened to expedite the process of handling complaints accordingly.
The need to investigate and regulate all orphanages in Sri Lanka was also discussed at length. The Chairman recommended that the Authority prepare a new programme for the purpose and take immediate action to obtain all the basic data.
The Committee directed that steps be taken to develop a comprehensive database.
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
