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New political culture, altruistic leaders can save Sri Lanka: Deepika
By Sanath Nanayakkare
Now that the people have realised the need to fight for their rights, they should make a holistic effort to push lawmakers to create a political culture, where politicians were not entitled to unnecessary privileges, comforts, fancy vehicles, large security details, etc., says Former Human Rights Commission (HRCSL) Chairperson Dr. Deepika Udagama.
Dr. Udagama made said so, taking part in a political programme (Mawatha) on Sirasa TV.
“I am glad to see that eventually today’s younger generation has recognised their citizenship rights and risen against the deprivation of the people’s basic human rights where the government has not been able to make basic living needs accessible to them.
“In my view, the erosion of democracy over the years started with the advent of the all-powerful executive presidential system and then the 20th Amendment – a much uncivilized law – consolidated that trend. What we see today as an economic crisis, is the result of undermining our democracy over the years and even our food security through the recent ban on using chemical fertiliser which should have been done more methodically by listening to agricultural experts.”
“Although we have discussed democracy and human rights over the last few decades, it was difficult to convince those fundamentals to our society because they had trust that they would be able to achieve productive governance through the existing political system. As it has not happened and as the patience of the people has run out, now we see that the real citizen, that was in slumber, has eventually woken up. That is the silver lining I see in these dark clouds. I bow to the young people staging protests on the streets because they engage in these activities with restraint and in a mature way. They are not demanding the uplifting of their economic and financial wellbeing. They demand the creation of an accountable governance system for the citizens of the country.
“When people don’t have access to pharmaceutical drugs and medical treatments that is also a grave violation of a human right. When such social and economic rights were deprived and the social and political contract between the government and people was breached, they came forward to use their civil and political rights. They use the freedom of speech, take to the streets and make agitations. So, these rights need to be safeguarded or otherwise the people’s voice on those issues won’t be heard. The IMF knows very well about the ground realities in any country they fund facility programmes. So politicians should act with humility in tackling these issues. They need to be humble. They should listen to experts’ advice. I say this for both government and opposition politicians. Now, we hear the call to form an all-party interim administration. The authorities don’t seem to be responding to it.
“Although people are miserable, they have risen. They are in a rage. This, however, shows their energy, awareness and inspiration in terms of their democratic rights. We all need to get together to find solutions for this. My view is that we need to restore the economy soon or it will collapse completely, if that’s still not the case. But to resolve this in the long term, we must change the system of governance. We must create accountability of politicians to the people. For this, we must abolish the executive presidential system. We must bring in the 19th Amendment with appropriate changes because even an executive PM could turn to be adamant. The constitution needs to be changed with more democratic features.
“Leaders must listen to the young people’s voice as adults rather than mere leaders, and then we should see some degree of political discipline. Not only humble, they should be simple and altruistic. It doesn’t appear to be happening any time soon. But now we see the foundational stage for it. This momentum needs to be maintained and strengthened going forward.”
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
