News
MPs demand probe into COPE Chief’s conduct at meeting with SLC bigwigs
Prof. Bandara denies allegations as baseless
By Saman Indrajith
Opposition and SJB leader Sajith Premadasa yesterday told Parliament that Chairman of the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) Prof Ranjith Bandara had tried to cover up Sri Lanka Cricket’s frauds and corruption, during a meeting with SLC officials on Tuesday.
Premadasa said that the video recording of the COPE session on SLC held on Tuesday showed that the COPE Chairman prevented MPs from questioning SLC officials and gave SLC representatives cues to refrain from disclosing some information.
Premadasa urged the Speaker to investigate the matter, pointing out that the actions of the COPE Chairman had violated the rights and privileges of the other members of the COPE Committee.
Premadasa said: “The COPE Chairman used cues to make SLC members skip questions raised by MPs at Tuesday’s meeting. This is clearly visible in the videos that are being circulated via social media,” Premadasa said.
“The COPE Chairman uses his position to manipulate the testimonies by the witnesses at the COPE meetings. He has violated the privileges of not only MPs Hesha Withanage and S.M. Marikkar but also all members of this House. This matter needed to be investigated,” the Opposition Leader said.
SJB MPs Withanage, Marikkar, Chaminda Wijesiri and Nalin Bandara, speaking after the Opposition leader, claimed that the COPE Chairman had acted in a manner that was favourable to the SLC officials and demanded action against him.
A section of SLC representatives appearing before the parliamentary watchdog committee (pic courtesy parliament)
SJB MP Hesha Vithanage said Prof. Bandara should not be allowed to chair future meetings with SLC. “I request the Speaker to watch the video footage of Tuesday’s COPE session.
MP Marikar said he and some other members of COPE would not attend COPE meetings chaired by Prof. Bandara. “The COPE Chairman is appointed out of all the MPs named to be in that committee. Every member of the committee has a right to ask questions. The incumbent Chairman has not acted impartially. We once asked in writing to summon officials and conduct a probe into a controversial fertilizer shipment, but the Chairman has not complied with our request. We have been asking him to summon the representatives of gas companies and the CPC, but in vain. We make our requests on the basis of the Auditor General’s reports.”
Kuruengala District SJB MP Nalin Bandara said that the video showing COPE Chairman’s conduct had gone viral on the Internet. “The COPE Chairman on Tuesday used his powers to prevent the MPs from raising questions. He should be removed immediately,” MP Bandara said. “We may need another committee to probe the conduct of the COPE Chairman.”
SJB Badulla District MP Chaminda Wijesiri accused Prof Bandara of violating the privileges of COPE members. “The COPE Chairman could be dealt with under Section 18 of the Privileges Act. As per this Act, the Speaker is empowered to take actions in respect of matters of this nature. The Speaker can remove the COPE Chairman and get the committee to elect a new head,” MP Wijesiri said.
Government MP Premnath C Dolawatte, too, spoke in favour of the Opposition MPs’ proposal. He said the government wil not object if the Opposition MPs move a motion to remove the incumbent COPE Chairman. I, too, saw the video and it is clear that the concerns raised by the Opposition MPs are genuine. The incumbent Chairman could be suspended for the probe to be conducted on Nov 27, 28 and 29,”MP Dolawatte said.
Chairman Prof Ranjith Bandara denied the allegations. He insisted that he had only signalled them to speak one at a time. He said that the COPE needed to function independently without political interference and accused the Opposition members of trying to politicise the probe.
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
