News
Karu slams EC, demands new Constitution without dictatorial features in 20 A
…alleges police adopted Gestapo style tactics
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Former Speaker Karu Jayasuriya yesterday (18) said that free and fair election couldn’t be expected under the supervision of the Election Commission (EC) appointed in terms of the 20th Amendment.
Jayasuriya said so addressing the media, in his capacity as the Chairman, the National Movement for Social Justice (NMSJ), at Janaki Hotel.
The EC consists of Nimal G. Punchihewa (Chairman), S.B. Diwarathne, M.M. Mohammed, K. P. P. Pathirana, and Jeevan Thiagarajah.
Referring to recent reports pertaining to moves to conduct much delayed Provincial Council polls, Jayasuriya emphasised the responsibility on the part of the incumbent government to guarantee the impartiality of the EC. Jayasuriya said that they couldn’t anticipate free and fair elections as members of the EC were directly involved with the government political machinery.
One-time UNP Deputy Leader alleged that the EC would side with the government at a crucial moment at the expense of those who expected a level playing field. Therefore, the independence of the EC should be proved before elections. Jayasuriya said the next Provincial Council polls shouldn’t be conducted on a staggered basis under any circumstances.
Jayasuriya accepted the NMSJ leadership after having declined to contest/National List of both the JVP and the UNP breakaway faction, the Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) at the Aug 2020 general election.
Pointing out that the 20th Amendment had been enacted at the expense of the 19th Amendment introduced during his tenure as the Speaker, Jayasuriya said President Rajapaksa should re-examine the 20th Amendment.
Commenting on the ongoing efforts by a 9-member committee led by Romesh de Silva, PC, to draft a new Constitution, Jayuriya urged the President and the SLPP to do away with dictatorial features created by way of the 20th Amendment. The former Speaker warned of dire consequences if the incumbent government tried to retain dictatorial features in the 20th Amendment in the new Constitution.
The draft of the proposed new Constitution is expected to be ready in April. Romesh de Silva’s committee began deliberations in Sept last year.
The former Speaker also urged the government to discard controversial political victimisation committee report to avoid further crises. Declaring that retired Supreme Court Justice Upali Abeyratne’s report wasn’t acceptable to the vast majority of people, Jayasuriya requested President Rajapaksa to reveal his stand on the report.
Recently Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka, MP, and Saman Ekanayake, Secretary to former PM Ranil Wickremesinghe moved court against the Commission report.
NMSJ Chief challenged the government to take tangible and punitive measures against all those involved in the scandalous sugar duty scam that cost the country much needed revenue. Pointing out that the losses had been estimated at over Rs 15 bn, Jayasuriya said that the government could not remain silent on the revelations made by the Committee on Public Finance (CoPF).
The deal exposed by JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake in parliament on Dec 12, 2020, was investigated by the CoPF under the directions of its Chairman SLPP member Anura Priyadarshana Yapa.
Jayasuriya said that failure to act against those responsible would cause irreparable harm to the government and President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
The former Speaker also slammed the government for the continuing destruction of forests and efforts to suppress the truth of adopting Gestapo style tactics against those who dared to speak up. Recent scare tactics adopted in respect of a girl who criticised destruction of Sinharaja over Sirasa Lakshapathi exposed the government, he said.
Jayasuriya also strongly criticised what he called politicisation of the public sector. The former UNPer said that the moves to select members to the public through examinations conducted by the Public Administration Ministry instead of the Examination Department could cause serious harm.
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
