News
Parliament crisis: Ranil proposes way out
By Saman Indrajith
Chief Government Whip and Highways Minister Johnston Fernando yesterday (7) thanked UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe for proposing a solution to the crisis prevailing in the House following alleged assault on Galle District SJB MP Manusha Nanayakkara by government MPs.
UNP Leader Wickremesinghe proposed that the Speaker should immediately name the MPs from the government and the Opposition ranks for the committee to investigate the alleged incidents in Parliament last Friday and Saturday. “They could sit together and decide a way out. That is the best option before you with regard to this matter.”
Chief Government Whip: We are thankful to the UNP leader for proposing a solution to the crisis and attending Parliament today soon after your return to the country. I was contacted by an SJB MP, who said Opposition leader Sajith Premadasa was disturbed by your presence in the House today. Your attendance of Parliament compensates for the absence of the entire SJB group. So, they may return to the House earlier than expected before it becomes known that they are redundant.”
The Chief Whip brought to the notice of the Chair that TNA MP Charles Nirmalanathan who is in the opposition ranks has complained that he was continuously overlooked when time was allocated for the Opposition MPs to speak. “So much for the internal democracy of the Opposition. Today, the JVP with only three members has got time for two of them and this is not fair.
Leader of the House, Education Minister Dinesh Gunawardena said that UNP leader and former Prime Minister Wickremesinghe was the best person to guide the SJB and Opposition. “Now, there are only a few opposition parties while the SJB is absent. You are the acting Opposition Leader in this House with your calibre and experience. You can use that to instruct the Opposition MPs protesting out there to return to the chamber and take part in the debate. You have all the qualifications to advise the entire Opposition.”
Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena called on MPs to attend Parliament sessions and undertook to appoint a committee to look into the recent incidents and submit a report. The committee would consist of senior members of both sides. “We could not yet contact some members who have been nominated to know whether they would accept the responsibility. I hope to contact and speak to them and most probably we could announce the names for the committee on Wednesday.”
The UNP, the TNA, the JVP, the SLMC, Ven. Aturaliye Ratana Thera and SJB MPs who had voted with the government in recent votes in Parliament including Diana Gamage were present in the House.
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
