News
Media collective faults Speaker
The Media Orgainsations Collective (MOC), comprising Sri Lanka Working Journalists’ Association, Free Media Movement, Sri Lanka Muslim Media Forum, Tamil Media Alliance, Sri Lanka Young Journalists’ Association, and South Asian Free Media Association – Sri Lanka Chapter, yesterday said Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena’s actions were “an obstruction to the right of journalists to report freely and also impinges on the right of the public to true and accurate information.”
MOC has in a statement requested the Speaker “not to contribute to the government’s efforts to suppress the media, using the powers and privileges of Parliament.”
The text of the statement issued by MOC: When Parliament met on February 08, Member of Parliament D. Weerasinghe cited an article in the Sunday Lankadeepa newspaper, dated January 28, 2024, headlined ‘Supreme Court amendments not in Online Safety Act; Opposition demands meeting of party leaders before Speaker signs it’ as having breached his privileges as a member who voted for the Bill and requested the Speaker to direct the Committee on Parliamentary Privileges to take appropriate action. In response, you stated the request would be presented to the committee as a question of privilege.
We, as leading media organisations in Sri Lanka who are signatories to this letter, wish to inform you that while being alert to the government’s contemptible efforts to use parliamentary powers and privileges to stifle media freedom, we unequivocally condemn all attempts to suppress people’s rights to know the truth by intimidating journalists.
The article published by Lankadeepa was not a news report based on false information. On the contrary, it was an attempt to inform the general public of serious and demonstrated shortcomings that were observed in the process of having the Online Safety Bill adopted. This is a view shared by a majority of the general public.
Communicating the right information to the public is a social responsibility of the media. And in that context, the news article in question was fulfilling that responsibility. The media, civil society activists, trade union activists and the Opposition have, from the outset, urged you, as Speaker of the House, not to present the Bill in Parliament due to its numerous flaws. It is also a well-known fact that you have ignored repeated calls by the Opposition for a meeting of party leaders to discuss the Bill, both before it was brought up for debate and even after it was put up for debate. Several leading organisations, including the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka, have also issued statements to the media detailing the flaws in the Bill and its process.
We, as leading media organisations, question how reporting on demands made by the Opposition regarding the Online Safety Act or any other Act, can be deemed a breach of parliamentary privileges of MPs. Our conviction is that the media has tried to report on the fundamental rights violation of the people in the hopes of rectifying it, not questioning the parliamentary powers and privileges of its members. This is the role of the media. This is fulfilling its social responsibility.
Your decision to refer the matter related to the news report to the Committee on Parliamentary Privileges is an unwelcome surprise. However, we take this opportunity to inform you that we are keenly watching the government’s efforts to suppress the media using an obsolete law with no specific provisions for ‘trial and punishment’.
Your action is an obstruction to the right of journalists to report freely and also impinges on the right of the public to true and accurate information.
Therefore, we earnestly request you, as the Hon. Speaker not to contribute to the government’s efforts to suppress the media using the powers and privileges of Parliament.
We wish to remind you that we have strongly opposed and expressed our condemnation of instances where journalists were summoned or attempts were made to summon them before the Committee on Parliamentary Privileges in the past and that our stance hasn’t changed. We remain strongly opposed to and condemn any attempts to summon journalists before the Committee on Parliamentary Privileges for fulfilling their journalistic and social responsibility obligations.”
The statement has been signed by Duminda Sampath, President Sri Lanka Working Journalists Association, Hana Ibrahim Convener Free Media Movement, N.M. Ameen President Sri Lanka Muslim Media Forum, Sri Gajan President Tamil Media Alliance, Tharindu Jayawardane President Sri Lanka Young Journalists’ Association, and Lakshman Gunasekara President South Asian Free Media Association – Sri Lanka Chapter.
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
