News
Karu takes over late Ven. Sobitha’s outfit, Sajith vows to scuttle 20A
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Former Speaker Karu Jayasuriya, in his new capacity as the Chairman and Convenor of the National Movement for Social Justice (NMSJ) today (17) will unveil his campaign against the proposed 20th Amendment to the Constitution.
A spokesperson for NMSJ told The Island that the former Speaker recently accepted their invitation to take over the movement formed by the late Ven. Maduluwawe Sobitha Thera.
Responding to a query, the official said that Prof. Sarath Wijesuriya, who succeeded Ven. Sobitha in the wake of the latter’s demise in Nov. 2015, made the request on behalf of the NMSJ.
Jayasuriya will brief the media at the Solis hotel , Pita Kotte at 10 am today.
NMSJ official said that Prof. Wijesuriya offered his position in the wake of the outfit requesting the former UNP MP to spearhead a campaign to protect the 19th Amendment enacted during his tenure as the Speaker. Karu Jayasuriya accepted the new role close on the heels of the UNP rejecting his offer to succeed Ranil Wickremesinghe as its Leader. The offer was made after the party suffered a debilitating setback at the August general election. Jayasuriya however did not contest that election.
NMSJ announced the new campaign in the wake of the Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) vowing on Tuesday (15) to prevent the passage of the 20th Amendment.
Addressing a gathering at the New Town Hall, SJB leader Sajith Premadasa said that the government bid would be thwarted.
Among those present were many civil society activists, including the Executive Director of the Center for Monitoring Election Violence (CMEV) Dr. Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu.
Opposition Leader Premadasa told The Island that the SJB was ready to lead the campaign against the government’s bid to establish an authoritarian administration. Colombo District lawmaker Premadasa said that the draft of the 20th Amendment in its present form wasn’t acceptable at all. The SJB leader pointed out that the SLPP was in turmoil with some sections of the ruling coalition as well as those who supported the SLPP at the 2019 presidential and 2020 parliamentary polls publicly complaining about the draft gazetted on Sept 2. The former Deputy UNP leader pointed out that there hadn’t been discussion at least within the SLPP regarding far reaching constitutional changes envisaged through the 20th Amendment. Lawmaker Premadasa noted that the SLPP’s move had received the attention of the Geneva-based United Nations Human Rights Council. He was referring to United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet’s criticism of the 20th Amendment to the Constitution.
Delivering opening remarks at the 45th Regular Session of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva Monday, Bachelet said she was troubled by the swift changes the Sri Lankan government was making after withdrawing its support to the UN resolution 30/1.
Bachelet said among other developments, the proposed 20th amendment to the Constitution may negatively impact on the independence of key institutions, including the National Human Rights Commission.
Having secured 145 seats at the last general election, the SLPP needs five more votes to enact the 20th Amendment with a 2/3 majority.
The parliament comprises: SLPP (145), the SJB (54), the ITAK (10), the JJB (3), the AITC (2), the EPDP (2), UNP (1), the OPPP (1) the TMVP (1), the MNA (1), the TMTK (1) the ACMC (1), the NC (1) and the SLMC (1).
The UNP and the OPPP are yet to name their National List members (one each).
The NMSJ official said that the outfit would conduct consultations next week with a cross section of interested parties as regards the 20th Amendment to reach consensus on a set of proposals to the SLPP government. According to him, there should be consensus among all stakeholders before the parliament debated the proposed new law. It wouldn’t be fair to introduce amendments at the Committee Stage as happened during the passage of the 19th Amendment under the previous dispensation, the NMSJ spokesperson 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
