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Parliament observes one minute’s silence in memory of Easter Sunday victims
By Saman Indrajith
Parliament yesterday observed one minute’s silence in memory of those whose lives were lost in the terrorist attacks on Easter Sunday (2019).
Following a special statement at the commencement of Parliament on the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks, Prime Minister Rajapaksa requested Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena to permit a minute’s silence in memory of the victims.
The Premier in his statement said that it was sad to notice two years after the brutal terror attacks, those who were responsible for the prevention of the heinous crime were carrying out a campaign to spread lies about the incident and thereby disrupting investigations.
The PM said that all those responsible for the brutal terror attacks would be brought to justice. He said that the government had taken all possible measures to prevent such an unfortunate situation from recurring.
“Today we commemorate one of the darkest days in the history of Sri Lanka which is the second anniversary of the April 21st Easter Sunday Attacks. As we take this moment to remember the native and foreign lives lost, which took away 259 innocent lives and injuring hundreds of people who attended the Easter Sunday Mass on that day, given the series of bombing which took place on the 21st of April, I take this moment to wish that the souls of the Christian Community will receive the heavenly bliss they wished for and that all others whose lives were lost would also rest in peace. Hundreds of injured and disabled people are still suffering physically and mentally. I wish them a speedy recovery. We also extend our deepest condolences to the families of all those who died and became disabled.
“I wish to state that this matter has already been referred to the Attorney General based on the report and other documents prepared governing the information revealed by the Easter Commission.
“Though we do not wish to intervene with the judicial process, I wish to state that as a government we are ready to provide any assistance required for the success of this process of judiciary.
“The President has also facilitated the CID and the Terrorism Investigation Division in addition to the Commission for the purpose of carrying out investigations independently. We are confident that at the end of the investigation, the respective departments will take legal action in the future.
“It is the innocent public who have to pay for the criminal neglect and evasion by the previous government by mixing up their own political agendas with national security.
“Parties responsible for the attack are socializing various lies, influencing investigations and diverting social attention even to date. We feel sorry for such groups. While remembering all those who died, we as a government are taking every step to prevent such an unfortunate situation from ever recurring.
“Finally, I would like to state that we will bring to justice all those responsible for this heinous attack.”
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
