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Kiriella asks President to apologise to people for the mess
By saman Indrajith
Chief Opposition Whip and Kandy District MP Lakshman Kiriella yesterday speaking in parliament called on President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to learn from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and tender an apology to the public for the mess he created by driving people to stage street protests.
“The present crisis has been created by none other but by President Rajapaksa. He should take a cue from Indian Prime Minister Modi. Modi introduced an Act in Parliament to give farmers’ lands to companies. Farmers with the support of people held protests all over India. That resulted in Modi losing four provincial states. Thereafter he withdrew the particular Act and apologized to farmers. President Rajapaksa should do the same.
“We have been trying for three days to find solutions for the crises. This is not a crisis of our making. The Speaker warns of a looming food crisis. The reason for the food crisis is nothing but an arbitrary decision made by the President to go organic and banning chemical fertilisers that resulted in 50 per cent loss of harvest.
Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena: I said that there would be a food shortage if action was not taken to prevent it. The government has decided to permit import of chemical fertiliser.
Chief Opposition Whip: What I am asking is whether Parliament was consulted before making that decision. It is an arbitrary decision. As per the Article 27 of the Constitution the President is bound by the responsibility to provide people with sufficient food, clothing and housing. There is a list of such needs. When the President took the oath, he pledged to uphold and protect the constitution. Now, he has violated that. People have no food, clothing and housing. A bag of cement now costs more than Rs. 3,000. Prices of clothes have increased by 300 per cent.
“Soon after he assumed office as President he amassed all the powers given to the Prime Minister, the Speaker and Parliament by the 20th Amendment to the Constitution. He weakened the powers of parliament. Now, he is asking for solutions from parliament that has been rendered invalid. Suppose we found a solution for these crises, this president can decide not to implement them.
“It is not us in this parliament who should be held responsible for the crises. It was not us who conducted talks with India on Trinco oil tank farm. Parliament was not informed of those talks and agreements. A section of the port was given to China. We still do not know what exactly had been given to them. We boast that parliament has supremacy over all public finances, yet the finance minister has not spoken a word to parliament since Dec 10,” Kiriella 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
