News
Opp. says onus on EC to call prez polls, warns against govt. intervention
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Dissident SLPP MP Prof. G. L Peiris yesterday (25) said the onus was on the Election Commission (EC) to announce the presidential election on July 17, 2024, even if the Wickremesinghe-Rajapaksa government advanced the parliamentary election.
Addressing the media at his Kirula Place residence, the former External Affairs Minister said that the country expected the EC to act in terms of the presidential election law.
Therefore, there couldn’t be any ambiguity regarding the EC having to conduct presidential elections between Sept 19 and Oct 17, 2024, though the media reported contradictory statements, Prof. Peiris said.
As the current Parliament had completed two and half years of its five-year term, President Wickremesinghe could dissolve it, Prof. Peiris said. Otherwise, the Parliament could endorse a motion calling for early general election and submit it to President Wickremesinghe, Prof. Peiris said.
In terms of Article 70 of the Constitution, the relevant motion should have the backing of the majority of MPs at the time a vote was taken on the motion, Prof. Peiris said, adding that it could be adopted even without the consent of a simple majority in Parliament.
Prof. Peiris dealt with the issue at hand in the wake of continuing disagreement between President Wickremesinghe and the SLPP over advancing the general election ahead of the presidential polls.
UNP leader Wickremesinghe has indicated that the presidential polls would be held first.
Prof. Peiris said that the Opposition wasn’t interested in the ongoing dispute at all. “We want the EC to fulfil its constitutional responsibility by making the announcement as stipulated in the presidential election law,” he said. Recently the former switched his allegiance to the main Opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB).
Alleging that President Wickremesinghe and the SLPP feared facing the electorate, Prof. Peiris said that the Opposition expected the current dispensation not to pursue strategies meant to put off presidential polls.
“If parliamentary polls are advanced, President Wickremesinghe will have to take necessary measures to release the required funds from the Consolidated Fund. Rs 10 bn allocated through the 2024 Budget cannot under any circumstances be utilized fully or in part to fund parliamentary polls,” Prof Peiris said.
Referring to the sabotaging of Local Government polls on the false claim of not having required funds, Prof. Peiris urged the government not to seek to put off elections pending electoral reforms. Justice Minister Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakse, PC, recently proposed that 160 of the 225 MPs in Parliament be elected by the first- past-the-post electorate by electorate system, and the remaining 65 chosen proportionally, either at national or provincial level.
Prof. Peiris said that the Opposition expected the government to conduct elections on time without making silly attempts to put them off through fraudulent means.
Commenting on former President and incumbent SLFP leader Maithripala Sirisena’s recent disclosure that he knew the mastermind of the 2019 Easter Sunday carnage, Prof. Peiris emphasized such claims should be examined, taking into consideration the political environment.
Was he telling the truth or just trying to exploit the heinous crime for some sort of a political advantage, the former Minister asked. The SLPP National List MP questioned the conduct of the former President who was yet to fully pay compensation amounting to Rs 100 mn ordered by the Supreme Court.
Prof. Peiris said that MP Sirisena through his actions brought the Office of the President to disrepute. Responding to a media query, Prof. Peiris said that as a former President, lawmaker Sirisena didn’t enjoy immunity and was now subjected to normal procedures of the law like any other citizen.
Referring to MP Sirisena’s subsequent claim that he received fresh information regarding the mastermind three weeks ago, Prof. Peiris said that the former Defence Minister should have got in touch with the relevant authorities immediately without playing coy about it.
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
