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May 09 mayhem: Police would have done nothing if MP Pathirana hadn’t alerted President – Ex-UNP MP
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Former UNP National List MP Prof. Ashu Marasinghe says the police probably would have refrained from using any force against government goons on 09 May if SLPP MP Dr. Ramesh Pathirana hadn’t intervened.The complicity of the police and the Public Security Ministry, in the goon attacks on the Galle Face protesters, should be fully investigated and the wrongdoers punished, ex-MP Marasinghe said.
Prof. Marasinghe, who was at the Galle Face protest ground when a group of SLPP politicians, who after a meeting chaired by the then Premier Mahinda Rajapaksa at the Temple Trees, set upon the anti-government protesters, told The Island he had sought the intervention of MP Pathirana as the mobs marched towards ‘Gotagogama’.By then the mobs had smashed up the constructions put up outside Temple Trees and assaulted protesters in Kollupitiya, the ex-MP said. He adding that he had got in touch with Dr. Pathirana.
Dr. Pathirana told The Island that he had been at the President’s House at the time former MP Marasinghe contacted him. “Therefore, I was able to bring the situation to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s notice immediately. Among those present were MPs Kanchana Wijesekera and Keheliya Ranbukwella.”
Dr. Pathirana recalled how an irate President had telephoned SDIG Deshabandu Tennakoon and ordered the latter to bring the situation under control.Ex-MP Marasinghe said that soon thereafter the police made some half-hearted attempts to disperse the violent mob. The live coverage, provided by private television stations and social media, had exposed the police, Prof. Marasinghe said, urging the Attorney General Sanjay Rajaratnam, PC, to ensure a thorough investigation into the incidents.Responding to another query, Prof. Marasinghe said that as the mobs advanced, he had been on the top floor of Kingsbury. Having contacted Dr. Pathirana, ex-MP Marasinghe sent some pictures of the scenes in the Galle Face area.
Prof. Marasinghe said he had been involved in the ‘Gotagogama’ protest campaign from the beginning. Asked whether he had been part of the UNP contingent at the Galle Face protest ground, the ex-MP said that he was there as an interested party. “I have been involved in the campaign, since 09 April.
“In fact, I participated in a protest march conducted by the University Inter-University Students Federation, affiliated to the Frontline Socialist Party, from the University of Colombo. It was organised in support of the ‘Gotagogama’ protest. Some discouraged my participation in the IUSF protest. They also asked me not to visit ‘Gotagogama’ though I insisted on my right to be part of the campaign.”
Prof. Marasinghe denied participating in violent protest at President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s private residence at Pengiriwaththe, Mirihana, on 31 March, and the countrywide protest campaign, on 03 April, conducted in spite of curfew.Prof. Marasinghe said that as he walked out of Kingsbury, he had seen Senior DIG Deshabandu Tennakoon a little distance away and when he inquired what had happened, the latter had claimed that the mob had broken through the police cordon.Appreciating President Rajapaksa’s invitation to UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe to form a new government in the wake of SJB leader Sajith Premadasa refusal to accept the premiership, Prof. Marasinghe said Wickremesinghe was capable of handling the crisis.
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
