News
ONUR Bill passed without vote
TNA, ACTC vote against it at Second Reading
By Saman Indrajith
The Office for National Unity and Reconciliation Bill was passed in Parliament yesterday without a vote.
However, at the end of the Second Reading of the Bill, All Ceylon Tamil Congress Jaffna District MP Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam called for a division.
The Second Reading of the Bill was passed with a majority of 41 votes.
The vote taken on the Bill received 48 votes in favour while seven MPs voted against it.
TNA and All Ceylon Tamil Congress (ACTC) voted against the Bill.
SJB, JVP and dissident SLPP MPs were not in the Chamber when the vote was taken.
ACTC leader Jaffna District MP Ponnambalam said that his party would call for a division on the Bill and would vote against it. “What is the use of this office? There is nothing new going to come about it. The chairman of the office is to be appointed by the President on recommendation of the Minister of Justice. We know what their views on reconciliation are. They have majoritarian views. They unilaterally decide what they think as reconciliation and then take it to the grassroots and force it down the throat of a reluctant population. This Bill enables only that. This has nothing to do with reconciliation.
This is window dressing to go before the international community to say that we have an office for reconciliation,” Ponnambalam said.
TNA Jaffna District MP Shanakiyan Rasamanickam said that the Bill was nothing but a mere eyewash. “What reconciliation would be there when you are not listening to the concerns of the victims? This Bill does not address the genuine concerns of victims. This is an attempt to mislead the international community and to get the victims’ votes at coming elections,” the MP said.
Justice Minister Dr Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe said MP Rasamanickam has mixed the ONUR Bill with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Bill.
Badulla District SLPP dissident MP Dilan Perera, during the debate, said that ONUR office had been neglected during the time of Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s presidency. “The first chairperson of ONUR was former President Chandrika Kumaratunga. President Rajapaksa was not against reconciliation but was against Chandrika Kumaratunga. So, this office was neglected because he did not like the chairperson. Passing this Bill would show our commitment towards reconciliation. If implemented to the letter, the provisions of this Bill would be able to put an end to the culture of politics and politicians who capitalize on race, language, religion and caste. These differences perpetuated by identity politics still exist; it is that brand of politics that keeps us down as a nation,” Perera said.
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
