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Parliamentary schedule from August 17
The Committee on Parliamentary Business recently decided to set aside time from 10.00 am to 4.30 pm on September 06 and 27 for 68 questions for oral answers which were unable to be asked due to various reasons, Secretary General of Parliament Dhammika Dasanayake said.
It was also decided at the CPB chaired by Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena to hold four sitting days from 17th August to 20th August, the Secretary General said.
Accordingly, Parliament will convene on August 17 at 10.00 am and from 11.00 am to 4.30 pm and take up for debate Corona Virus Disease 2019 (Covid-19) (Temporary Provisions) Bill, Regulations under the Value Added Tax Act No. 14 of 2002, 06 Orders under the Special Commodity Levy Act No. 48 of 2007 and 05 Orders under the Ports and Airports Development Levy Act No. 18 of 2011.
On the same day time has been allotted for Questions at the Adjournment Time from 4.30 pm to 4.50 pm and Motion at the Adjournment Time moved by the government will be taken up for debate from 4.50pm to 5.30 pm.
On August 18, the Securities and Exchange Commission of Sri Lanka Bill, 03 Orders under the Excise (Special Provisions) Act, 02 Resolutions under the Section 10 of the Customs Ordinance (Chapter 235) will be taken up for debate.
Thereafter, time has been allotted for Questions at the Adjournment Time from 4.30 pm to 4.50 pm and Motion at the Adjournment Time moved by the opposition will be taken up for debate from 4.50pm to 5.30 pm.
The Registrar of Electors (Amendment) Bill was scheduled to be passed without debate on August 19 from 11.00 am to 12.00 noon, the Secretary General said. Thereafter, the Adjournment motion moved by the Opposition on “Current Problems in the Field of Education in Sri Lanka” will be debated from 12.00 noon to 5.30 pm.
On the 20th the adjournment debate on the Mid-Year Fiscal Position Report for the year 2021 will be held from 11.00 am to 5.30 pm on a motion moved by the Government.
The Secretary General also said that during the four sitting days, time would be allotted from 10.00 am to 11.00 am for ‘Questions for Oral Answers’ of the MPs.
Meanwhile, the Committee decided to close the time allotted for Questions for Oral Answers by 11.00 am. It was also decided to give 05 minutes to the party leader who asks questions under Standing Order 27 (2) and 05 minutes to the relevant Minister if he answers them.
The Committee on Parliamentary Business also decided to appoint a special committee chaired by the Prime Minister and consisting of five other Members of Parliament to look into matters which were not currently under the purview of any Ministry that are presented to Parliament, the Secretary General said.
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
