News
Parliament divided over PSC probe on Siyatha
Ex-top House official says govt. move meant to suppress all media
By Shamindra Ferdinando
The main Opposition Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) and Jathika Jana Balavegaya (JJB) yesterday (18) condemned a government move to appoint a seven-member Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) to inquire into the conduct of Siyatha television.The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) didn’t respond to The Island query pertaining to the issue at hand.
Former Director (Administration) Parliament, Lacille de Silva, has alleged that Parliament was making an attempt to suppress the media as part of the overall measures to counter growing opposition to its agenda.The civil society activist claimed that the move to appoint a Select Committee to investigate infringement of parliamentary privileges, as a result of criticism of decisions taken by the President and Parliament to meet representatives of all parties represented in parliament, was nothing but a warning to both print and electronic media.
The former Secretary to the Yahapalana anti-corruption Presidential Commission said so, addressing the media on behalf of civil society group ‘People’s Tomorrow’ at the Centre for Society and Religion (CSR) in Maradana on Saturday (17).President Ranil Wickremesinghe convened an All-Party Conference (APC) on national reconciliation on 13 Dec., at the Presidential Secretariat.
Declaring his readiness to represent Siyatha at Select Committee proceedings, Lacille de Silva urged the other media to take up the issue at hand or be prepared to face the consequences. Responding to another query, de Silva said that civil society groups should vigorously take up this issue. “They can’t keep quiet. Foreign governments, which meddle in domestic affairs constantl, should also be concerned about this move.”
Education Minister Susil Premajayantha, who is the leader of the House, on Dec. 12 declared the appointment of the PSC.The Education Minister proposed a Select Committee of Parliament to investigate incidents of infringement of privileges of the Members of Parliament and of the Parliament and to make suitable recommendations in that
regard,— Whereas the President, the Prime Minister and the Members of Parliament agreed on 23 November 2022 on the floor of the House, to meet representatives of all parties and discuss the measures to solve the ethnic problems so that the people of the country can live as children of one mother and it is to be investigated whether the privileges of the Members of Parliament and of the Parliament have been infringed by the comments made in the programmes telecast by the Siyatha television channel on the 24, 25 and 27 of November 2022 in relation to that;
And whereas if the privileges of the Members of Parliament and of the Parliament have been infringed, it should be investigated into and suitable recommendations in that regard should be made;This Parliament resolves that a Select Committee of Parliament be appointed to investigate into the infringement of privileges of the Members Parliament and of the Parliament and to make suitable recommendations in that regard.
Lawmaker Premjayantha proposed that the Chair and Members of the Committee shall be appointed by the Speaker and that in terms of the provisions of Standing Order 101 of Parliament, the Committee shall consist of seven (07) Members.
The minister also proposed that the Committee shall have the power to—(a) fix its quorum; (b) summon any person to appear before it, to require any person to procure any document or record, to procure and receive all such evidence, written or oral, as the Committee may think it necessary for the fullest consideration of the matters referred to above;(c) Obtain the services of specialists and experts in the relevant fields to assist the Committee; and (d) Make interim reports from time to time and to sit notwithstanding any adjournment or prorogation of Parliament.
The Committee shall present its report to Parliament within a period of one month (01) from the first meeting of the Committee or within such further period as Parliament may grant.
Thamil Makkal Thesiya Kutani (TMTK) leader C.V. Wigneswaran said that perhaps those in authority should have called for a meeting with the relevant Siyatha journalist and the management before the appointment of the Select Committee. The former Supreme Court judge said so when The Island sought his response to the announcement made by the Leader of the House. Jaffna District lawmaker Wigneswaran said that he was not consulted on the appointment of the Select Committee.
Lacille de Silva said that the declaration made by Leader of the House Premjayantha was meant to intimidate the entire media. Declaring that Premajayantha spoke on behalf of the government, the ex-House official asked political parties and groups other than the SLPP and UNP to state their position on this issue.
Would they join the proposed seven-member Select Committee, de Silva asked.In response to The Island query, SJB leader Sajith Premadasa issued the following statement: “We consider the move to investigate views expressed by Siyatha ‘telewakiya’ an attempt to suppress the media. We condemn the attempt to utilize the Select Committee process to suppress the media.”
JJB MP Vijitha Herath said that the government move was not unacceptable at all. Lawmaker Herath warned that this was part of the government strategy. “Telewekiya has attracted quite significant public attraction and the government seems obviously concerned about widespread criticism of its strategies,” the JVPer said.The JVP boycotted the APC. MP Herath said that the national issue couldn’t be addressed by such endeavors. Referring to past APCs, the MP said that the government realized consensus on port-war national reconciliation couldn’t be achieved though it felt such efforts served propaganda purposes.
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
