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Lawyers’ Collective condemns proposal for poll postponement
The Lawyers’ Collective yesterday issued a media statement, condemning UNP General Secretary Range Bandara’s recent proposal that elections be put off for two more years.Full text of the statement: The Lawyers Collective condemns the statement of UNP General Secretary Range Bandara, made on 30th May 2024, suggesting at a formal press conference at the head office of the United National Party, that by a public referendum the term of this President and this Parliament be extended for two more years in order to “save the nation”. This was followed by vague statements from the President, the leader of the UNP and members of the UNP merely dismissing such statements as the personal views of their own General Secretary.
It is in the context of a democracy deficit that such statements are made. The mass people’s uprising, Aragalaya, of 2022 was a recall of the mandate given to all parliamentarians, particularly the members forming the two-third majority in parliament. The people signalled a complete lack of public confidence in the head of the executive and the government of the day. The current President having taken office in this context is duty bound to uphold democracy and surrender to the sovereignty of the people. One of his key tasks ought to have been to restore legitimacy to these institutions of government without delay. Instead, the President refused to hold local government elections in 2023 and is steamrolling a legislative agenda that is repressive and authoritarian with the support of a legislative majority that has lost its legitimacy.
Article 30(2) states that the office of the President shall be for a period of 5 years. Article 62(2) states that the term of any Parliament shall be 5 years. Any change to the Constitution to extend the terms of one or either of these organs of the State requires a constitutional amendment. Such a constitutional amendment would no doubt require a two thirds majority in Parliament and a referendum of the People because it seeks to change the way in which the sovereignty of the people is expressed. It would be an amendment to fundamentally change the basic structure of the constitution.
The danger in the statement made by the UNP General Secretary is the suggestion that any one President or any one Parliament’s term is extended because they are necessary to ‘save the nation’. Such a proposal completely undermines the sovereignty of the people, is made in bad faith and in ignorance or deliberate dismissal of the Constitution. It is a proposal whereby the power of the two thirds majority in parliament, which the people have rejected, is being abused.
The proposed extension also goes against the spirit of our Constitution, expressed in its Preamble which refers to ‘immutable republican principles of representative democracy’ that assure to ‘all peoples freedom, equality, justice, fundamental human rights and the independence of the judiciary as the intangible heritage that guarantees the dignity and wellbeing of succeeding generations of the People of Sri Lanka’. A question that can be raised is whether a two-thirds majority in Parliament and a 50% plus one majority of the People can make ANY amendment to the Constitution. Is not the amending process governed also by the principle of ‘constitutional morality’?
Democracy is essentially about people endorsing or rejecting the policies of any one President or Parliament. Presidential, Parliamentary and local government elections are fundamental to the People of Sri Lanka giving expression to their grievances, aspirations and their will. All interferences with this expression must be categorically rejected and condemned, and seen for what it is, an authoritarian move to undermine democracy.”
The statement has been signed by Upul Jayasuriya, President’s Counsel Dr. Jayampathy Wickramaratne, President’s Counsel, Dinal Phillips, President’s Counsel, Saliya Pieris, President’s Counsel, S.T. Jayanaga, President’s Counsel, Professor Deepika Udagama, Upul Kumarapperuma, President’s Counsel, Jagath Kularatne, Attorney-at-Law, Harshana Nanayakkara, Attorney-at-Law, Srinath Perera, Attorney-at-Law, Akalanka Ukwatta, Attorney-at-Law, Susantha Dodawatta, Attorney-at-Law, Ermiza Tegal, Attorney-at-Law and Manoj Nanayakkara, Attorney-at-Law.
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
