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JSA opposes appointment of two nominees to High Court
The Judicial Service Association of Sri Lanka (JSA) has opposed the proposition to appoint Deputy Secretary General of Parliament, Tikiri Jayathilaka, and another officer of the Attorney General’s Department, to the High Court.
Issuing a statement, the JSA has expressed discontent over the proposal made by President Ranil Wickremesinghe.
The JSA pointed out that the assuming of duties as the Deputy Secretary General of Parliament has resulted in Tikiri Jayathilaka being disqualified to reassume duties as a member of the judiciary at any future stage.
The full text of the JSA letter to President Wickremesinghe: The Judicial Service Association (JSA) represents the judges of the Magistrate’s Courts and the District Courts across the island,The JSA has learnt that four names are proposed for the imminent appointments to the High Court. It has further learnt that these names include Mr. Tikiri Jayathilaka, currently serving as the Deputy Secretary General of the Parliament, and another officer from the Attorney General’s Department.
The JSA expresses hereby its profound discontent with regard to these proposed names on the following grounds.
Mr. Jayathilaka previously served as a Magistrate, since 2006, until he resigned to take over his appointment as an Assistant Secretary of the Parliament. His request to assign him to the parliamentary staff,as a secondment, was refused by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC), for apparent reasons.
As such, his exposure to a non-legal institution was deemed to be a disqualification to reassume duties as a member of the judiciary, at any future stage. Consequently, his candidacy to re-enter the judiciary is quite contrary to the prior JSC decision that has already been taken concerning Mr. Jayathilake’s reoccupation in the judiciary.
In terms of Article 111(2)(a) of the Constitution, the President is vested with the power to appoint Judges to the High Court on the recommendation of the JSC. However, in this instance, there exists a decision made by the JSC preventing his admission to the Judiciary from Parliament, Accordingly, his admission to the High Court is a circumvention of a previous JSC decision that is unfavourable to him. The recommendation of the JSC under certain circumstances at this stage despite its previous decision cannot validate or substantiate his re-entering the judiciary.
The JSA is of the view that this endeavour results in detriment to the independence of the judiciary, especially the Independence of the judges of the trial courts.
The JSA has also known that the officer from the Attorney General’s Department is a far junior officer compared to the judicial officers who are next in line in judicial seniority.
It is a known fact that for most or the career judges, the appointment to the High Court has become the only career prospect. As such, this situation has resulted in frustration and disappointment among the judicial officers who serve throughout the country for years.
Therefore, the JSA requests His Excellency the President to refrain from appointing Mr. Jayathilaka to the High Court and consider the seniority when an officer from the Attorney General’s Department is appointed to the High Court.
The JSA believes that Your Excellency may pay immediate and close attention to this issue concerning the functioning of the judiciary without interference.
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
