News
Nagananda: Ranil’s re-entry inconsistent with Constitution
SC to be moved against allegedly unauthorised changes in 14-A
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Civil society activist Nagananda Kodituwakku says Article 99A of the Constitution, which deals with the National List is different from the Section endorsed by Parliament.
Asked to explain, Attorney-at-Law Kodituwakku claimed that the then Speaker had ratified the 14th Amendment that contained the Section on the National List after critical modification in respect of filling of the NL slots. The Constitution prohibited changes to Amendments/Bills at the time of the ratification by the Speaker, Kodituwakku stressed.
Parliament approved the 14th Amendment on May 4, 1988. Kodituwakku alleged that all political parties had chosen to remain silent as they benefited therefrom.
Kodituwakku told The Island that Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) leader Sajith Premadasa, who is also the Opposition Leader, hadn’t taken up the matter though he had been briefed on the UNP leader’s entry.
Responding to another query, Kodituwakku said that he had sought lawmaker Premadasa’s intervention because his father, the then Prime Minister Ranasinghe Premadasa chaired the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) on Franchise and Election.
Making available the relevant pages containing parliamentary proceedings to The Island, Kodituwakku said the late Premadasa had told Parliament that NL members wouldn’t be appointed or nominated by the party outside the 29 names submitted to the Election Department/Election Commission.
According to the PSC recommendation which received parliamentary approval ahead of ratification by the Speaker, Secretaries of recognised political parties and Independent groups would have to nominate members from the list handed over to the Election Department/Election Commission. The PSC comprised Ranasinghe Premadasa, the late Lalith Athulathmudali, the late Gamini Dissanayake, the late K.W. Dewanayagam, Ranil Wickremesinghe, the late M. L. M. Aboosally, the late Shelton Ranaraja, Dinesh Gunawardena, the late V. Dharmalingham, the late Sarath Muttetuwegama and the late Maithripala Senanayake. According to Hansard, the late Anura Bandaranaike, the late Anil Moonesinghe and D.E.W. Gunasekera were in the PSC at different stages.
The PSC headed by the then PM Premadasa didn’t pave the way for defeated candidates or anyone out of the NL, according to the Hansard.
However, Section 99A surreptitiously had been introduced by the UNP at the time the Speaker signed the 14th Amendment into law, enabling defeated candidates to enter parliament through the National List, lawyer Koditiwakku said. In addition to that, the 99A stipulated that the NL slots should be filled within seven days after General Secretaries of respective political parties were asked to do so by the Election Department/Election Commission.
Kodituwakku said that in terms of the 99A Wickremesinghe couldn’t enter parliament via the NL. In other words, the failure on the part of the UNP to name its solitary NL MP within seven days after receiving intimation from the Election Commission automatically resulted in the forfeiture of the seat, lawyer Kodituwakku said, adding that the Election Commission, the Office of the Speaker and Election Monitoring groups should explain why they had remained quiet about the UNP given an opportunity to fill NL vacancy ten months after the last general election.
Kodituwakku said that the nine-member group tasked with formulating a new draft Constitution should look into the matter, and that he intended to move the Supreme Court against the issue. According to him, due to manipulation of the parliamentary process, the 14th Amendment to the Constitution hadn’t been enacted therefore such an Amendment didn’t exist.
Lawyer Kodituwakku said that Leader of the House Dinesh Gunawardena, Ranil Wickremesinghe and D.E.W. Gunasekera could as members of the PSC chaired by the late Premadasa could help establish the truth. He emphasized that the controversy over 14th Amendment should be cleared when the expert group produced a draft Constitution.
Kodituwakku faulted SJB leader Premadasa for having turned a blind eye on a matter of crucial importance.
Kodituwakku pointed out that in terms of original PSC recommendation and the one incorporated in the 14th Amendment thereby in Constitution, Basil Rajapaksa, too, couldn’t enter parliament. Kodituwakku urged members of the Election Commission to study the Constitution and not to seek excuses to appease political parties.
Kodituwakku said that some time back, in response to a query raised by The Island, the then Election Commission Chairman Mahinda Deshapriya had declared that there was no stipulated period for a political party to fill its NL slots. Kodituwakku pointed out that answer had been obviously based on the original PSC recommendation that was not incorporated in the Constitution. The Deshapriya’s move had proved that those in authority cleverly used both the PSC recommendation and the one surreptitiously introduced by the then Speaker at the behest of the then President, Kodituwakku said.
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
