Connect with us

News

No other govt. became so unpopular within such a short period – JVP

Published

on

JVP MP DR Harini Amarasuriya, flanked by Senior Lawyer Lal Wijenayake (on her left) and Attorney-at-Law Sunil Watagala addressing a press conference held at the JVP head office in Pelawatte on Saturday

By Saman Indrajith

There has been no government in the known history of this country that incurred so much public displeasure within such a short time as two years, JVP MP DR Harini Amarasuriya said on Saturday.

Addressing the media at the JVP head office in Pelawatte, Dr Amarasuriya said that the government’s popularity was rapidly decreasing. “In the face of losing popularity and mounting public displeasure the government has resorted to racist politics. This has been a strategy used by many governments in this country for the past 73 years. The loss of lives and shedding of blood as a result of such strategy have been of no concern to them. Their motive is to cling to power despite public displeasure. We call on people not to fall for that trap. Communal disharmony would help none but the government to stay in power. They need it now to divert public attention from their problems such as price increases and shortages of essential commodities.”

Senior lawyer Lal Wijenayake stressed the need to ensure judicial independence, which he said could not be achieved without the rule of law. It is doubtful whether rule of law exists now; if you look at the way the Attorney General has been withdrawing cases.

Attorney-at-Law Sunil Watagala said that the country’s democracy was under siege and was facing serious threats. “This started when the President during a Gama Samaga Pilisandarak programme stated that his word took precedence over circulars. Five including the Convener of the Inter University Students Federation have been detained for over 100 days. Fr Cyril Gamini too is fearing arrest. Ven Ganansara thero has been handpicked to head a presidential task force. The Bar Association of Sri Lanka too has condemned these acts. In the meantime, cases against top government ministers are being withdrawn by the Attorney General. We call on the Attorney General to resign with respect because he is paid with public funds to serve the interests of the people.

“We call on people not to be duped by government tactics, the latest being the show of dissension within the government ranks. None of these dissenters including Ali Sabry, Wimal Weerawansa and Udaya Gammanpila have resigned. They cannot fool people all the time. The budget vote is to be taken in Parliament on 12 Dec. If they are not happy with the government, they can vote against it. They are running with the hare and hunting with the hounds.”



Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

News

US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development

Published

on

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.”

Continue Reading

News

Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees

Published

on

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.

Continue Reading

News

CIPM successfully concludes 8th Annual Symposium

Published

on

Left to right, Prof. Arosha Adikaram - Chairperson of the Symposium, UAC Obeyesekere – Chief Executive Officer, CIPM Sri Lanka, Guest of Honor - Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer, MAS Holdings PVT Ltd., Sri Lanka, Ken Vijayakumar, President, CIPM Sri Lanka, Priyantha Ranasinghe,Vice President, CIPM Sri Lanka, Col. Saman Jayawickrama (Retd) – Secretary, CIPM Sri Lanka, Dr Dilanjalee Weerathunga – Co Chairperson of the Symposium

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.

Continue Reading

Trending