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National Media Forum calls upon P’mentary Council to immediately appoint members to RTI Commission
The National Media Forum called on the Parliamentary Council represented by government and opposition members to immediately appoint members to the Right to Information (RTI) Commission and to ensure the people’s rights guaranteed by the country’s Constitution.
In a statement the steering committee of the NMF said that the entire process of ensuring the public’s right to information as well as the appeals presented by the people to the RTI Commission have now come to complete standstill.
The statement said: The Right to Information (RTI) Commission, which was constituted under the Right to Information Act No. 12 of 2016, has been defunct for nearly two months due to the failure to appoint members to the Commission. According to the RTI Act, the responsibility of appointing members to the RTI Commission is vested with the Constitutional Council and the President. However, the Constitutional Council has now been replaced by the Parliamentary Council following the implementation of the 20th Amendment to the Constitution.
The RTI Act came in to effect on August 4, 2016 after then Speaker Karu Jayasuriya endorsed the piece of legislation. The five year term of the first group of members appointed to the RTI Commission came to an end on September 30, 2021. The Parliamentary Council has published a newspaper advertisement seeking nominations for the appointment of members to the RTI Commission. The deadline for the submission of applications concluded on October 19, 2021. At the time, the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL), media organizations and the civil society had submitted nominees for the Commission in line with Clause 12 of the RTI Act.
The RTI Commission consists of five members with one of the members being appointed as the Chairman of the Commission. The nominee of the BASL has to be appointed to the RTI Commission according to the provisions of the RTI Act. The Parliamentary Council has to propose names for the other four positions in the Commission to the President. The power of appointing the other four members to the Commission from the names proposed by the Parliamentary Council is vested with the President.
The Parliamentary Council has so far failed to perform its duties with regard to the RTI Commission. The Parliamentary Council consists of Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa,
Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, Minister Douglas Devananda and MP Kabir Hashim.
The entire process of ensuring the public’s right to information as well as the appeals presented by the people to the RTI Commission have now come to complete standstill. Among the key appeals that are currently blocked in the process are the appeals made by the public on the Port City and the arbitrary acquisition of lands. Other processes undertaken by the RTI Commission include the inquiring of the veracity of information related to state institutions, introduce regulations related to providing information and the training of information officers.
The RTI Commission currently carries out only its administrative work without even a permanent Director General in place. According to the RTI Act, it is the Director General who also serves as the Chief Executive
Officer of the Commission. Clause 19 of the RTI Act stipulates that it is the RTI Commission that has to appoint the Director General as well as the staff members.
Former Chairman of the RTI Commission Mahinda Gammoning and the rest of the members of the Commission Kishali Pinto Jayawardena, S.G. Punchihewa, Selvi Thiruchandran and Rohini Walgama, who served in the Commission during the past five years have meticulously carried out their duties in the Commission and had also given several decisive decisions for the benefit of the people. These actions served to ensure the public’s right to information while also ensuring the rights encapsulated in Clause 14(1) of the Constitution.
Therefore, we call upon the Parliamentary Council represented by government and opposition members to immediately appoint members to the RTI Commission and to ensure the people’s rights guaranteed by Sri
Lanka’s Constitution.
The NMF Steering committee comprises Mandana Ismil Abewickrema, Gagani Weerakoon, Rajgopal Yasitharan, Vikum Basnayaka, Sisira Yapa, Ajith Alahakoon, Priyantha Wedamulla, Chathura Disanayake, Shalika Wimalasena and Ravindra Pushpakumara.
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
