News
Lacille poses pertinent questions to Parliament, UNDP
‘Forty MPs skipping DDO vote inexcusable’
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Former Director, Administration of Parliament Lacille de Silva said that both Parliament and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) should reveal whether they were satisfied with the progress in the ongoing project funded by the latter to improve the parliamentary system.
De Silva said that parliamentary standards had deteriorated to such an extent over the years that he was amazed by the recent reportage of the UNDP funding a House project to improve the Sectoral Oversight Committee (SOC) system.
Responding to The Island queries, de Silva said that actually members of Parliament, regardless of the party they represented, should have raised the issue. The civil society activist said that he was particularly worried about the failure on the part of the Opposition to seek a clarification from Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena.
Lacille de Silva served as Director, Administration of Parliament, from 2003 to 2013, during his 37-year career. Having retired in
2013, de Silva, in 2015, received appointment as Secretary to the Special Presidential Commission of Inquiry to Investigate and Inquire into Serious Acts of Fraud, Corruption and Abuse of Power. The then President Maithripala Sirisena however sacked him in early March 2016.
Referring to the UNDP arranging former Canadian MP Kevin Deveaux described as an international expert on parliamentary development to meet Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena on June 14 at the Parliament premises, de Silva declared that there was no harm working with international partners to improve systems in place. UNDP Resident Representative in Colombo Azusa Kubota accompanied Devaaux. That was followed by Kubota meeting President Ranil Wickremesinghe at the Presidential Secretariat where an assurance was given on the UNDP’s continued assistance, particularly to further improve SOC system. USAID, too, supports some projects implemented by parliament.
A senior House official said that Speaker Abeywardena presides over an advisory board meant to handle all activities assisted by development partners. The former Canadian lawmaker has been here on the invitation of the UNDP to do what the official called the needs assessment in consultation with relevant parties to prepare the parliamentary development action plan in collaboration with all partners. The official added that the current action plan was prepared in consultation with the former Canadian MP during Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s tenure as the president. Declaring that the Speaker is the final authority, the official emphasized that Parliament didn’t follow anyone’s agenda.
Lacille de Silva asked whether political parties represented in parliament needed any external advice to take remedial measures to overcome shortcomings and negligence. Statements issued by parliament on regular proceedings at watchdog committees exposed the pathetic failure on the part of parliament to address issues at hand. The recent revelation at COPA (Committee on Public Accounts) that the total arrears of taxes, penalties and interest due to the Inland Revenue Department by Dec 31, 2022 is Rs. 904 bn underscored the responsibility on the part of Parliament, de Silva said.
“Public finance is the responsibility of Parliament. Therefore, the House cannot absolve itself of the responsibility for allowing accumulation of total arrears to over 904 bn,” de Silva said. “What really worries me is that even after the national economy suffered in early 2020 due to a toxic combination of reasons, those in authority haven’t made a genuine effort to improve revenue collection.”
The debate and vote on the high profile resolution pertaining to the Domestic Debt Optimization (DDO) on July 01 highlighted the crisis in parliament. Referring to accusations directed at Speaker Abeywardena that he arbitrarily conducted the vote at 7.30 pm on Saturday though the original plan was to conduct a two-day debate before the vote, de Silva said that only 184 voted that day.
“Therefore, 41 didn’t vote. If we leave out the Speaker, 40 MPs skipped the vote. This shows, some political parties are in disarray. How come 40 MPs refrained from taking a stand on such a crucial issue,” de Silva said, adding that the bone of contention is whether political parties have no control of its members.
Current Parliament is represented by 15 political parties. Parliament consists of SLPP 145, SJB 54, ITAK 10, JJB 03, EPDP 2, AITC 02 and an MP each represents nine political parties.
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
