News
MPs bribed at election of new Prez: FSP echoes JVP claims
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Front line Socialist Party’s Education Secretary Pubudu Jagoda has alleged that Members of Parliament squandered an opportunity to address the growing concerns of the powerful public protest movement by electing UNP National List lawmaker Ranil Wickremesinghe as the new President.Addressing the media at the party office, the FSP activist said that those who fielded Wickremesinghe at the July 20 contest conveniently failed to realise that the public protest campaign compelled Premier Mahinda Rajapaksa and President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to resign on May 09 and July 14, respectively.
Jagoda said that a staggering 134 out of 219 valid votes obtained by Wickremesinghe certainly didn’t reflect the actual situation on the ground. The FSP spokesperson thanked the Parliament for helping them to confirm their accusations that members of the House could be bought off.
The vote on the new President proved beyond doubt that the Parliament as an institution had been tainted and suffered irrevocable damage due to actions of its members, Jagoda said.He asked how the public could depend on such an institution to address economic, political and social issues.
Pointing out that a President elected with an overwhelming majority of nearly 7 mn votes had been compelled to run away from the country, Jagoda said that the UNP leader who had been rejected by the electorate but entered Parliament under controversial circumstances several months after the last general election in August 2020 shouldn’t expect plain sailing.
The breakaway JVP faction spearheaded the high profile public protest campaign launched on March 31 at President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s private residence at Pangiriwatta, Mirihana.
Jagoda alleged that several lawmakers received assurance that they would be appointed Prime Minister while several dozens were promised ministerial portfolios.The FSP spokesperson claimed that of those who had been targeted in retaliatory attacks following Temple Trees mob rampage were offered luxury apartments with sizeable allocations for procurement of furniture.
After the declaration of Wickremesinghe as the winner, JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who ended up with just three votes drew attention of Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena to the accusations pertaining to some lawmakers receiving bribes. The JVPer drew angry reactions from those who voted for Wickremesinghe.
Jagoda questioned the likelihood of Wickremesinghe overcoming the daunting challenges faced by the country.Alleging that the recent 20 Rupee price reduction of petrol was meant to deceive the people, the FSP spokesman said that such silly efforts wouldn’t help the new administration. Having achieved nothing during his six previous stints (not full terms), he asked how Wickremesinghe expected to lead the country out of current turmoil.
According to Jagoda, the new administration would work overtime to cause rifts among the public protest movement while resorting to the use of law enforcement and military to break up the growing campaign.He also vowed to take the reins of government. “We have proved our strength. We’ll build up public power and use it as required,” Jagoda said, urging the public not to accept Wickremesinghe as the new President.Jagoda said that the public protest movement was aware of the government strategies and would respond accordingly.
Former Director General of Information Department Attorney-at-Law Sudarshana Gunawardena appearing on Derana ‘Big Focus’ yesterday dismissed allegations pertaining to bribing of MPs. Gunawardena who had been the then PM Wickremesinghe’s spokesperson said that there was absolutely no basis for such allegations. The JVP was trying to take the shine out of a significant victory achieved by Wickremesinghe and the Parliament at a time continuing efforts were being made to further destabilize the country.
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
