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Ninth recipient: Karu Jayasuriya awarded Lanka’s highest national honour
Deshabandu Karu Jayasuriya Friday became the ninth recipient of Sri Lanka’s highest National Award of Sri Lankaabhimana, first received by the late President R. Premadasa when the title was created by the J.R. Jayewardene government in 1986.
Humbly accepting the honour, Jayasuriya said in a statement that the rule of the law is the only source of protection available to Lankans in present times and the country must be handed over to posterity as a better country than we were born into by upholding the rule of law.
Saying we’re now passing through trying times he declared: “We are passing through a violent storm and the course out of it must be wisely navigated if we are to survive. All need to join forces for that purpose. It is natural that there would be differences in suggestions on how to get out of this crisis and there could be debate. But we must all remember that only a joint effort would help us all,” he said.
“We must immediately jettison the narrow religious and racial supremacism first. We must keep in mind that it is a fallacy to expect victory only by championing the cause of getting power at any cost over the national and common good. We must not delay economic and political reforms needed for further strengthening the fundamental rights of people and restoring democracy in this land. We must maintain a balanced foreign policy giving due respect to the interests of our neighbouring countries,” he said.
Jayasuriya received the award at an Investiture held at the President’s House in Colombo. The decision to make this award was announced in a special gazette notification published on January 24.
‘Sri Lankabhimanya’ is the highest civil honour of Sri Lanka awarded by the President on behalf of the government. It is bestowed upon those who have rendered exceptionally outstanding and most distinguished service to the nation.
Jayasuriya, who served as the Speaker of Parliament from 2015-2020, has also held a number of cabinet ministerial portfolios since he embarked on his active political career from the UNP in 1995.
He served in the Ceylon Army Volunteer Force as a gazetted officer from 1965-1972. He later joined the private sector and has served as the Chairman of National Chamber of Commerce, SAARC Chamber of Commerce, Colombo Rubber Traders’ Association, Sugar Importers’ Association and Sri Lanka Business Development Centre. He was also a Director of the Export Development Board.
After leaving the private sector, Jayasuriya was appointed the Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Germany with accreditation to Austria and Switzerland in 1992, serving until 1994.
Those previously honoured with the Sri Lankabhimanya title were Ranasinghe Premadasa (1986), DB Wijetunga (1993), Arthur C Clarke (2005), Lakshman Kadirgamar (2005), AT Ariyaratne. Lester James Peries, Judge C.G. Weeramantry (2007) and WD Amaradeva (2017).
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
