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PAFFREL takes President to task for manipulating electoral map
The manipulation of the electoral map of Sri Lanka by the incumbent ruler was a blow to representative democracy and an insult to the voter, says election monitoring NGO, People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL).
“It amounts to depriving the voter, the citizen of his rights to vote particularly this year, the 90th anniversary of universal suffrage. It is also an avoidance of a legitimate opportunity that the government has got to test the public opinion on the policies implemented by the government and change those policies if necessary,” PAFFREL Executive Director Rohana Hettiarachchie said in a statement titled ‘Local Government Election being eclipsed by Covid-19’.
Full text of the statement: The Minister in charge of Public Services, Provincial Councils and Local Government using the powers vested in him has submitted a proposal to the Cabinet of Ministers to postpone the local government elections by one year. The Minister has informed the media that the postponement was due to the prevailing Covid 19 pandemic. But it is not difficult for any citizen to comprehend that it has been postponed not because of the pandemic. In the early stages of the Covid wave, the Election Commission was able to hold parliamentary elections across the country successfully. At the same time, the current ruling party, which was in opposition at that time, pursued a consistent struggle to hold the election. The PAFFREL also stood with the group that appeared for holding the elections. There are several issues that attract public attention on the question of holding an election at the moment:
1. Will the risk of Covid be increased by holding the elections?
2. Could the country at this moment afford the cost of the election (the cost incurred by the Election Commission) which will be around Rs. 6,000 – 10,000 million?
3. Will action be taken to reduce the number of Councilors which has been doubled by the new system, before the next election?
4. Do the people have faith in the people’s representatives who are being appointed at great cost, and will there be any improvement in the living standards of the people by appointing them.
Though the above facts certainly draw the attention of informed citizens, at the moment, it appears that the election is being postponed mainly for political reasons. Several examples in this regard can be cited from the period during and before the previous Yahapalana regime. The manipulation of the electoral map of Sri Lanka by the incumbent ruler at his will is a deadly blow to representative democracy and an insult to the voter. It amounts to depriving the voter, the citizen of his rights to vote particularly this year, the 90th anniversary of universal suffrage. It is also an avoidance of a legitimate opportunity that the government has got to test the public opinion on the policies implemented by the government and change those policies if necessary.
Looking back at the past four decades, the frustrations and tensions created by the rolling of the electoral map and depriving the opportunity to test the sovereignty of the people ultimately ended up in a series of tragedies. We are still experiencing the adverse consequences of it. We believe that all parties who have held power are more or less responsible for this unfortunate situation.
We believe that the inalienable right of the citizens to democratically elect their representatives from time to time, and express their opinion, should be protected under whatever circumstances, and also would like to stress that if they are deprived of that opportunity, there is a great risk of it manifesting in different forms.
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
