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JVP calls on officials caught over immunoglobulin scam to spill the beans on political masters behind it
By Saman Indrajith
Investigations on immunoglobulin scam are taking turns to confirm again and again that public servants would finally have to be responsible personally themselves for carrying out illegal orders given to them by their political masters, says the JVP-led NPP.
Addressing a press conference held at the party headquarters in Pelawatte, NPP General Secretary Dr. Nihal Abeysinghe on Tuesday said: “The law says that every government worker must check if the orders they get from politicians are fair and make sense. They should only follow orders that feel right to them and don’t go against what they believe is right.
“This is now further affirmed as immunoglobulin scam is being probed and public servants are held liable for carrying out illegal orders by their political masters. We all know that officials implement the orders given to them by political authorities including the minister. However, the law provides that the public officials must act within the frame of legality despite the orders by their higher ups. If they carry out all the orders without hesitation and ascertain that they are manifestly justifiable, then the officials will become the offenders. This is relevant for the officials now being hauled up before the law pertaining to the immunoglobulin scam,” Dr. Abeysinghe said.
NPP National Executive Committee member and JVP former Kalutara District MP Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa: “People could ascertain the quality of most of the consumables they purchase from the market. They can choose and buy commodities such as coconuts, fish or clothes, but they cannot do that with regard to medicine. It is the duty of the government to ensure that citizens get the right medicine. The regulation of medicine being provided is with the government.”
“There are many regulatory bodies set up and functioning using public money. It has been found that 22,500 units of questionable immunoglobulin have been purchased from last July to September and distributed among government hospitals. There had been many complaints of side-effects after providing these medicines to patients especially from Colombo, Kandy and Matale hospitals.
Subsequent tests found that the medicines were harmful. Investigations have found there had been a business transaction of around one billion rupees and there is evidence of many malpractices, underhand deals, breaking of laws and regulations and wrongdoings throughout the process of purchasing immunoglobulin. Now the officials’ heads are on the block and it’s time for them to reveal the names of politicians involved in this, so that people could make a decision on them in coming elections,” Dr Jayatissa 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
