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Parliament to give more powers to Labour Tribunal Presidents
Parliament will take up for debate this week the Industrial Disputes (Special Provisions) Bill to give more powers to the Presidents of the labour tribunals as Additional Magistrates “to hear, try, determine and dispose of all suits or prosecutions under the provisions of specified enactments and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.”The decision to take up the Bill for debate was made at the last Ministerial Consultative Committee on Labour and Foreign Employment held at the parliamentary complex recently with Minister Manusha Nanayakkara presiding, Parliament sources said.
The new Bill, published in the Gazette dated April 8 2022, has provisions enabling the President of a labour tribunal to act as an Additional Magistrate and vesting him with power and authority to hear, try, determine and dispose of cases in a summary way “by virtue of the provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure Act, No. 15 of 1979 in relation to the enforcement of any award made by any arbitrator or industrial court or any order made by the labour tribunal under the provisions of the Industrial Disputes Act (Chapter 131) or any decision of the Commissioner or recovery of payment upon a certificate issued by the Commissioner or implementation of the provisions of the specified enactments.
“The provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure Act, No. 15 of 1979 and Evidence Ordinance (Chapter 14) shall apply to and in relation to the procedure to hear, try, determine and dispose of the suits or prosecutions before the labour tribunal,” the bill says.
Commissioner General of Labour Prabath Chandrakeerthi, explaining the provisions in the Bill said that currently cases where an employer terminated the employment of an employee are heard by a labour tribunal as per the provisions of existing Industrial Disputes Act. With regard to the cases pertaining to disputes on Employees’ Provident Fund, wages, other terms and conditions, litigation takes place at the Magistrates’ Courts. At present there are more than 16,000 cases that have been filed before about 80 Magistrate Courts countrywide. This limitation causes a delay and aggrieved parties are at a disadvantage because of the delayed justice. The dispute resolution process could be expedited if the presidents of labour tribunals give more powers to hear such cases. There are 37 established labour tribunals countrywide.
Minister Nanayakkara’s predecessor incumbent Minister of Ports, Shipping and Aviation Nimal Siripala de Silva, Deputy Chairman of the Committees, Angajan Ramanathan and MP Jagath Pushpakumara and officials from the Ministry of Labour and its statutory bodies were present at the meeting.
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
