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Only two female MPs out of 12 invited turn up at International Women’s Day celebrations
Text and pix BY PRIYAN DE SILVA
Speaking at the International Women’s Day Celebrations, organised by the female councillors of the Matale District Local Government institutions, SJB MP and member of the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus, Rohini Kavirathne, said that one of her male counterparts in Parliament had called for a boycott of the ceremony held at Pallepola in Matale on Sunday (07).
Out of 12 members of the Women Parliamentarians Caucus invited to the event only Manjula Dissanayaka MP and Rohini Kavirathne MP attended the event. Sita Arambepola MP and Dr Sudarshani Fernandopulle Chairperson of the Caucus addressed the event via zoom.
The theme for Sunday’s event was ‘Campaign to eliminate sexual harassment in the world of work ‘and was held in commemoration of national heroine Ehelepola Kumarihamy. It was recalled that throughout the country’s history from the times of Princess Kuveni to Ehelepola Kumarihamy and even to the present day females had not been treated equally.
MP Manjula Dissanayaka said that even though 52% of Sri Lanka’s population was women there were only 12 female MPs among the 225 Members of Parliament. She added that proportionately the figure should be at least 112 female MPs and hoped that the number would increase at future elections.
Chief Incumbent of the Ehelepola Purana Viharaya Ven Palawahthay Sonuththara Thera said that it might have been more beneficial to the country if all 225 members of Parliament had been females.
Delivering the keynote speech at the event which was slotted before the vote of thanks, National Coordinator of the Centre for Monitoring Election Violence Manjula Gajanayaka said that although there were 1,926 female councillors in local government bodies due to the 25% quota granted to females, females were underrepresented in Parliament.
Out of the 2,899 MPs elected between 1947 and 2021, only 133 were females , he said, noting that only a handful of females had been appointed to decision-making positions in Parliament as well as other political institutions. Citing the Election Commission of Sri Lanka as an example, the Election Monitor said that no females had been appointed as members of the Election Commission ever.
Gajanayake pointed out that there were no allegations of corruption levelled against females appointed as MPs and councillors of LG institutions but added that those females had no opportunity to stand against corruption that took place in their institutions.
Irrespective of the call for a boycott, a considerable number of female representatives of local government bodies in the Matale District together with the Mayor of Dambulla and Chairman of the Pallepola Pradeshiya Sabha attended the event.
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
