News
Justice Minister: State outfits disregard parliamentary control over public finance
‘New laws needed to rein them in’
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Justice Minister Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakse, PC, said that contrary to the Constitution, the Parliament didn’t exercise full control over public finance.The former President of the Bar Association said a new law was required to subject all state enterprises to parliamentary control to prevent further deterioration of public finances.
The ongoing controversy over the Governing Board of the Central Bank, in consultation with trade unions, including those affiliated to political parties represented in Parliament, granting a thumping salary increase to its employees, while asking the rest of the country to tighten their belts, underscored the need for the Parliament to oversee the overall process, hence the need for a new law, Minister Rajapakse said.
The Central Bank has publicly denied the over 70 percent salary increase, but Minister Rajapakse said the salaries of its employees had been increased by proportions of 29.53 percent to 79.97 per cent under a triennial pay revision (effective January 1, 2024). “We should be able to discuss the issues at hand candidly and reach conclusions when CB representatives appear before the Committee on Public Finance tomorrow (March 5),” Minister Rajapakse said.
Responding to The Island queries, the Colombo District MP said that Parliament should accept blame for the current sorry state of affairs. Successive governments had quite conveniently allowed selected sections of the public sector to exploit lacuna in relevant laws for their benefit.
The one-time Chairman of the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) said that due to increasing negligence on the part of successive governments’ state-owned enterprises operated outside parliamentary control. The minister acknowledged that successive governments had been responsible for failing to ensure proper control over the entire public sector.
Dr. Rajapakse said that the failure on the part of the government to address this issue now could have a destabilizing impact on the entire economy. Referring to a crisis caused by the Cabinet approving to double doctors’ Disturbance, Availability & Transport (DAT) allowance from 35,000 to 70,000 rupees, Dr. Rajapakse said the government couldn’t address knotty problems without taking into consideration other relevant factors.
The Justice Minister said that all political parties in Parliament, regardless of the size of their representation, should unreservedly support the proposed new law to rein in the public sector entities.
Asked to explain, Dr. Rajapakse said that some state sector enterprises had been allowed to decide on salaries and a range of other perks and privileges, at the expense of the economy. Therefore, a new law should be introduced to compel public finances, at all levels, to adhere to Article 148, 149 and 150.
Alleging that state enterprises brazenly exploited Collective Agreements for the exclusive benefit of the respective managements and employees, Dr. Rajapakse pointed out that Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera had recently decided against extending the Collective Agreement in respect of CEB employees.
Emphasizing the urgent need for a comprehensive study on the public sector salary structure and various perks and privileges, the one-time Bar Association President said that the issue should be addressed in the platforms of the forthcoming national elections.
The Justice Minister said that even after Sri Lanka in April 2022 had declared that it couldn’t meet debt obligations and therefore admitted insolvency, tangible measures hadn’t been taken to restore financial discipline. The recent revelation made by Minister Wijesekera that CEB employees had been provided with loans amounting to Rs 12 bn and 2/3 of the borrowers’ loan interests were paid by the CEB exposed how those at the helm of operations at such enterprises violated basic rules.
Dr. Rajapakse said it was just one example. Proceedings of House Committees, COPE, COPA and COPF expose waste, corruption, irregularities and mismanagement at all levels but unfortunately governments lacked the political will to address those issues.
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
