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Justice Marasinghe, HC Kananathan part of international election observer mission in Sierra Leone
Two eminent Sri Lankans joined the international election observer mission to observe and assess the conduct of the general election in Sierra Leone, held on 24 June 2023, in which that country’s president, parliament, and other local representatives would be elected, sources said.
Justice Rohini Marasinghe was part of the 11-member Commonwealth election observation mission, headed by the former Vice President of the Republic of Nigeria, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, and Lankan High Commissioner Veluppillai Kananathan, who is a well-known personality in Africa, was invited by the Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone to join the international observer mission. It was a unique occurrence that two members from Sri Lanka were included in the international election observer mission in an African country.
The European Union (EU), the African Union Commission (AUC), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and other teams, led by non-governmental organizations, comprised the electoral observation mission.
During her visit to Sierra Leone, Justice Rohini Marasinghe, a retired Supreme Court Judge and the current chair of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka, intends meeting with Bishop Dr. Joseph Humper, Chairman of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Sierra Leone, early next week. She had a conversation with Yasmin Jusu-Sheriff over the phone and the meeting is fixed for Sunday. The human rights abuses had occurred in Sierra Leone between 1991 and 2002. Justice
Justice Marasinghe said that Sri Lanka studied the experiences of the TRC in South Africa and added that Sri Lanka was in the process of establishing a suitable model of a truth and reconciliation and the normative Act of the TRC is already in preparatory process. She said that the country is very much committed to deal with the past conflict in the North and East as well as the conflict in the South in the ’70s and ’80s and move forward as both parties had committed atrocities and now the time has come to put an end to that dark era.
She said that most important matter is to understand the challenges faced by the TRC Sierra Leone and the manner it could overcome those challenges.
Justice Marasinghe further explained that it is important before the country moves for transitional justice, there must be a well-established agreement with families of the victims and the perpetrators. The terms of reference of the Commission, including its mandate and the composition, must be acceptable to all concerned.
Justice Marasinghe intends to have a full briefing on this matter with the local members of the TRC of Sierra Leone.
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
