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President to make all government MPs ministers to all intents and purposes, says Prof. Herath
By Rathindra Kuruwita
President Ranil Wickremesinghe is trying to give portfolios of sorts to all MPs who support him in Parliament by establishing a committee to advice the Governors on administering the Provincial Councils, says dissident SLPP MP Prof. Charitha Herath.
Prof. Herath, who is a member of the Freedom People’s Congress (FPC), said the President had in his address to Parliament on Wednesday (09) that he intended to appoint the Chairman or Chief of the Provincial Supervisory Committee, the District Development Committee Chairman, and Members of Parliament representing political parties in the province.
The proposed Advisory Council was to be co-chaired by the Governor and a nominated Member of Parliament from the respective province, the President said. The Governor would oversee executive matters while the MP would take care of the legislative affairs, he added.
“Currently, there are 45 functioning Provincial Council Ministries. Oversight committees can be established for these ministries, with parliamentarians who have no other responsibilities being appointed as their heads,” the President mentioned.
Prof. Herath said that the MP who co-chaired the Advisory Council is like a chief minister.
“The Provincial Councils can have four ministers. The President wants to appoint 36 MPs to hold these portfolios. There are close to 70 ministers and state ministers already. He can appoint another 45 MPs as provincial chief ministers and ministers. This way, all MPs who support him in Parliament get perks and privileges,” he said.
Prof. Herath added that it was obvious that the President had no interest in reconciliation. “He is creating a network of patronage that would help him in the coming presidential election.
“This is an idea that the President presented during the All-Party Conference (APC) as well. He wants to establish district development councils, which allows him to appoint more of his supporters.”
Prof. Herath said the President’s proposals on devolution had many contradictions. “This can be explained by the fact that opportunitism and creating patronage networks are the building blocks of Wickremesinghe’s thinking.
“People ahould listen carefully to Wickremesinghe’s speech in Parliament on Wednesday. In the first half, he talks about implementing the 13A. In the second half he proposes certain things that would weaken Provincial Councils. His plan is to say certain things that could attract Tamil votes while providing job opportunities to Southern politician who had a hold on the Sinhala voters. His plan is to confuse and confound everyone. This is how he has always operated,” he said.
Wickremesinghe also told Parliament that the government allocates 550 billion rupees a year on Provincial Councils and that the councils do not use the money optimally. Then he proposes to cut 50 billion from the budget for the councils, Herath said.
“The President is implying that although they have held no elections and don’t want to, the councils spend money nonetheless. He suggests that the best way to spend the 550 billion is to appoint MPs to each district and spend the money through them. The is pork barrel politics at its best,” he said.
Another one of Wickremesinghe’s proposal is to allow MPs to contest Provincial Councils, Prof. Herath said.
“It is obvious to everyone that the President is acting in bad faith. I don’t think anyone came to the APC with great expectations and the President seems to now understand that most political parties are suspicious of his intentions. He has also asked us to send proposals on strengthening the 13A. However, most political parties clearly told the President that they would react when he presents them with the government’s proposals. What’s the point in us making suggestions when we don’t know what the SLPP thinks?” he asked.
The FPC MP said the 13A is a proposed solution to an important question. Sri Lanka, since independence, has not been able to figure out what kind of a country it wants to be, he said. There is no consensus between Sinhalese and Tamils about what the state should look like, he added.
“We are a small country. If 13A is an actual solution, we can explore it. But, everyone is using 13A to their own advantage, especially the President,” he 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
