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Moragodage Christopher Walter Pinto passes away
The Foreign Ministry announces with deep sorrow the passing away of Mr. Moragodage Christopher Walter Pinto, famously known as Mr. Chris Pinto, on 21 July, 2022, in the Hague, Netherlands. Mr. Pinto was the first Legal Advisor of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs who established the Legal Division of the Ministry in 1967.
Mr. Pinto was a legal scholar recognized both locally and internationally. He read law at the University of Sri Lanka, Peradeniya, and the Sri Lanka Law College, and passed out as an Advocate of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka and specialized in international law at Magdalene College, Cambridge University.
Some of the key posts he held were: 1967-76 Legal Adviser and Head of the Legal Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 1976-80 Sri Lanka Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany and the Republic of Austria, 1968-69 Representative of Sri Lanka to the UN Conference on the Law of Treaties, Vienna, 1967-80 Representative of Sri Lanka in the Sixth (Legal) Committee of the UN General Assembly, 1968-82 Representative of Sri Lanka to the UN Sea-bed Committee and to the Third UN Conference on the Law of the Sea and was the Chairman of the Sri Lanka Delegation 1980-81, 1971-75 Chairman of the Conference’s Negotiating Group of the Whole on the international regime for the seabed beyond national jurisdiction, 1973-81 Member of the UN International Law Commission and Chairman of the Commission 1980.
Secretary-General of the Iran-United States Claims Tribunal, 1982 – 2011.
An Arbitrator, appointed by the Government of Sri Lanka to the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague, to the List of Arbitrators and the List of Conciliators maintained by the International Center for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (World Bank), as well as to the List of Arbitrators maintained pursuant to Annex VII, and the List of Conciliators maintained pursuant to Annex V, of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.Member of the CIETAC (China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission) Panel of Arbitrators.
Served as international arbitrator under the auspices of the Permanent Court of Arbitration, and as president in an arbitration between two Asian countries under Annex VII to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.Member of the Institute de Droit International (since 1989) Member of the International Law Association (since 1994)Member of the Board of Trustees of the International Ocean Institute (Halifax, Canada/Malta), Visiting Professor at the World Maritime University, Malmö, Sweden, directed for several years the general course on the Law of the Sea.
Co-founder of the Foundation for the Development of International Law in Asia.Founding Co-Editor of the Asian Yearbook of International Law.Member of the Advisory Councils of the Asian Yearbook of International Law, the Asian Journal of International Law, the Korean Journal of International and Comparative Law, and the Sri Lanka Journal of International Law.Mr. Pinto’s demise is a great loss to Sri Lanka as a nation and also to the international legal field in which Mr. Pinto distinguished himself both as a Member and Chairman of the International law Commission of the United Nations.
May Mr. Pinto’s soul rest in peace!
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
