News
PCoI report on Easter Sunday carnage: AG won’t be given ‘sensitive’ volumes
GL admits flaws , appreciates recommendations
By Shamindra Ferdinando
The Presidential Secretariat has declined to release 22 volumes (each containing about 600 pages) of proceedings to Attorney General Dappula de Livera, PC, on the advice of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) that probed the 2019 Easter Sunday carnage.
Authoritative sources told The Island that of the 87 volumes, the Presidential Secretariat yesterday (2) had sent only 65 to the AG. The Attorney General has been informed that the PCoI is of the opinion that 22 volumes shouldn’t be disclosed due to the sensitive nature of the information therein relating to national security.
The Attorney General received the final volume of the report from the PCoI last week.
There were shortcomings in the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) report on the Easter Sunday carnage in 2019, but it couldn’t be discarded, Education Minister and SLPP Chairman Prof. G.L. Peiris told the media on Monday (1).
Fielding questions at the weekly media briefing at Battaramulla, Prof. Peiris acknowledged the flaws while emphasising the need to go ahead with the judicial proceedings.
Prof. Peiris said that the PCoI made far reaching recommendations that had to be dealt by the Office of the President (executive), legislature and the judiciary. In addition to them, there were specific recommendations to the Attorney General’s Department and the CIABOC (Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption).
The minister stressed that deficiencies in the P CoI report certainly made a valuable contribution towards helping the government to ascertain the gruesome truth.
Pressed by the media for an explanation regarding the appointment of a six-member ministerial committee to deal with the P CoI report, Prof. Peiris said that the government needed to be guided by some guidelines. “The P CoI report didn’t in any way reflect the government stand. It is an independent body. Therefore, the government needs to agree on a formula in this regard. The ministerial committee will make recommendations and advice the government how to proceed.”
Prof. Peiris made reference to some ‘clouded’ recommendations among some far reaching ones.
Prof. Peiris dismissed the notion that the P CoI had recommended specific actions against various persons and organizations named in the report. The P CoI lacked such power; Prof. Peiris explained that the Attorney General would move court on behalf of the government. The findings made by the P CoI would be used in the process, Prof. Peiris said. The minister assured the public the government wouldn’t interfere in the investigations.
The SLPP Chairman rejected accusations that the government exploited the P CoI report to undermine coalition partner SLFP. Such criticism was unfair as the government had nothing to do with the setting up of the P CoI in the run-up to the Nov 2019 presidential election.
The then President and SLFP leader Maithripla Sirisena formed the P CoI close on the heels of Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) that probed the Easter Sunday carnage handing over its report in the third week of Oct 2019.
Prof. Peiris appreciated the recommendations made in respect of the education sector. The Minister said that the failure to ensure strict controls on madrasas could cause a catastrophe.
One-time External Affairs Minister said that the government wanted to ensure no holds barred investigation into the worst atrocity since the conclusion of the war in May 2009. The ministerial committee would facilitate the government initiative, the minister said, urging the Opposition not to politicize the issue at hand.
Responding to another query, Prof. Peiris said that the SLPP would make its position clear on the P CoI report after having studied it. The Minister criticized efforts made by some persons with vested interests to condemn the report. Those who had been affected by P CoI’s findings and recommendations were likely to attack it, the minister said. The public wouldn’t be deceived by such criticism, the minister said, underscoring the fact that Easter Sunday carnage could have been thwarted if the previous government responded sensibly to specific intelligence received from India. Unfortunately, they played ‘pandu’ with national security at the expense of the public.
Nearly 270 persons perished in near simultaneous attacks. Approximately 500 others received injuries and quite a number of them maimed for life.
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
