News
K’gala Mayor present at Johnston’s duty assuming ceremony
Arrest warrants suspended pending CA final determination
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Following Wednesday’s Court of Appeal order, suspending the arrest warrant on him, Kurunegala Mayor Thushara Sanjeewa was seen with the newly appointed Highways Minister Johnston Fernando on Thursday (13).
Thushara was present when Minister Fernando launched a new project to rehabilitate the Wajuragnana road in Kurunagala.
Addressing the gathering Minister Fernando explained why he had defended the Mayor although interested parties misinterpreted his comments. The Minister reiterated that he would neither protect wrongdoers nor allow innocents to be targeted.
The Mayor, too, in his welcome speech explained the challenges faced by him in the run-up to the general election.
Thushara filed a writ petition on August 11 after Kurunegala Magistrate re-issued warrants after the police failed to execute original arrest orders issued on August 6.
The August 12 order was delivered by a Court of Appeal bench consisting of its President Justice A.H.M.D. Nawaz and Justice Sobhitha Rajakaruna.
The warrants were suspended pending Court of Appeal determination as regards Kurunegala Mayor’s writ petition to be delivered on August 24.
Kurunegala Magistrate Court also imposed a travel ban preventing the suspects from leaving the country. The five suspects are Kurunegala Mayor Sanjeeva Thushara Vitharana, Municipal Commissioner Pradeep Nishantha Thilakaratne, Municipal Engineer Chaminda Bandara Adhikari and two other officials, Illaludeen Sulfica and Lakshman Priyantha.
Attorney General Dappula de Livera, PC, intervened in the wake of heavy reportage of the demolition of a part of an archaeological construction considered the royal pavilion of King Bhuvanaikabahu II. The incident took place over two weeks before the Aug 5 parliamentary election.
Acting IGP C.D. Wickramaratne was directed to make the arrests on charges under Antiquities Ordinance & the Public Property Act.
At a recent media conference called by the Attorney General, Deputy Solicitor General Dileepa Peiris and Additional Solicitor General Sumathi Dharmawardena explained the failure on the part of the police to execute arrest warrants issued in respect of the fugitives. Focusing on the police inaction, DSG Peiris questioned how fugitive Superintendent of Negombo prison Anuruddha Sampayo visited Hulftsdorp to sign a court document while the police were looking for him.
The DSG went to the extent of suggesting relevant authorities would seek the assistance of the armed forces to execute arrest warrants in the face of police failure to do so.
A committee appointed by Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, having inquired into the Kurunegala incident recommended legal action against all those responsible for the demolition, and the cost of restoration of the site be charged from the individuals and institutions responsible for it. Altogether, the Committee headed by Director-General of Archeology Professor Senarath Dissanayake, included District Secretary R. M. J. Ratnayake, Archaeologist T. G. Kulatunga, Deputy Director of Archeology at the Ministry of Cultural Affairs Archaeologist Prasad Ranasinghe and Director of the Central Cultural Fund Architect Sumedha Matota.
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
