News
Opposition alleges bid to mislead House
SC determination on ‘Central Bank of Sri Lanka’ Bill:
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Opposition lawmaker Gevindu Cumaratunga yesterday (06) has asked whether Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena and Parliament sought to mislead members of the House with regards to the Supreme Court determination on the ‘Central Bank of Sri Lanka’ Bill.
Addressing the media on behalf of the Uththara Lanka Sabhagaya at the Communist Party Office, leader of Yuthukama civil society group alleged that the declaration made by Speaker Abeywardena on April 04 was contrary to the SC determination.
The SC bench consisted of Justices Priyantha Jayawardena, PC, Kumudini Wickremasinghe and Arjuna Obeysekere. Petitioners were Anil S. Amarasekara (represented by Counsel Manohara de Silva with Haripriya Kumarage), Jehan Hameed (Canishka Witharana with Sawani Rajakaruna), Anura Darshana Perera Abeysekera (Canishka Witharana with Sawani Rajakaruna), MP Udaya Prabath Gammanpila (Counsel Manohara de Silva with
Haripriya Kumarage), Dr. Gunadasa Aarasekera ((Counsel Manohara de Silva with Haripriya Kumarage), Ven. Athureliye Rathana thera (Counsel didn’t make representations in court), former MP Wasantha Samarasinghe (Chamara Nanayakkarawasam with Dimuthu Fernando and Patali Abeyarathna)
Lawmaker Cumaratunga said that he was in Parliament when the Speaker declared that the Bill could be passed by a simple majority subject to amendments agreed during the proceedings. But what the Speaker conveniently failed to disclose was that the SC determined that out of 134 clauses in the ‘Central Bank of Sri Lanka’ Bill 46 required either to be passed by a 2/3 majority and 2/3 majority plus a referendum.
The petitioners have sought SC determination in terms of Article 121(1) of the Constitution.The first time entrant to Parliament, Cumaratunga said that all those involved in preparing this particular Bill and Speaker Abeywardena, who informed Parliament of the determination, certainly owed an explanation, MP Cumaratunga said.
The outspoken MP said that usually all members of parliament were provided with copies of SC determination as the Speaker read out the prepared statement. However, in this instance, copies of the SC determination weren’t made available and when he inquired from relevant authorities later, Parliament admitted the blunder.
MP Cumaratunga asked whether it was genuine mistake or a deliberate attempt to suppress the truth. The issue at hand should be examined against the backdrop of the Business Committee of the Parliament deciding to restrict April parliamentary sittings for just one day, he said.
Commenting on the remedial measures proposed by an Additional Solicitor General on behalf of Attorney General’s Department in response to the SC determination that nearly one third of the clause required to be approved by 2/3 majority and 2/3 plus referendum, MP Cumaratunga said that the SC received an assurance from the Attorney General that necessary amendments would be moved at the Committee stage.
Recalling how the UNP and its allies manipulated a particular Bill to postpone Local Government polls in 2017, MP Cumaratunga declared his concern over the latest developments.The bottom line is that the current dispensation couldn’t prepare a proper Bill and the fact 46 out of 134 clauses contravened the country’s Supreme Law meant that either they didn’t know what they were doing or it was deliberate, MP Cumaratunga said.
The MP demanded to know who took responsibility for the particular Bill. “We would like to know who represented the Central Bank, the AG and Finance Ministry in this process,” lawmaker Cumaratunga said, urging the government to inquire into the matter.
The ongoing project meant to thwart political interference could have catastrophic consequences, MP Cumaraunga said. Referring to the move to cease Finance Secretary being a member of the Monetary Board, MP Cumaratunga said that the SC determined that a big chunk of its provisions required 2/3 parliamentary approval and 2/3 approval plus endorsement at a referendum.
MP Cumaratunga also questioned President Ranil Wickremesinghe continuing to hold finance portfolio over half a year after he was elected by parliament to complete the remainder of Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s five-year term. Having repeatedly assured of his intention to empower parliament at the time he served as Premier (May 2022 to July, 2022), the UNP leader continued to serve as the finance minister while being the executive, Yuthukama chief said.
As a result of parliament putting off sittings to next month, the Opposition didn’t have an opportunity to take up the issue at the appropriate forum, MP Cumaratunga said.Responding to The Island queries, lawmaker Cumaratunga said that the developing crisis had taken a new turn with the exposure of the government trying to manipulate even the SC determination.
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
