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Presidential poll: Chief Govt. Whip steps up pressure on SLPP on behalf of Ranil
By Shamindra Ferdinando
SLPP General Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam, MP, on Wednesday (20) said that members of the government parliamentary group could freely contribute to the continuing discussion on whether the party should throw its weight behind President Ranil Wickremesinghe at the forthcoming presidential poll though they were yet to take a final decision.
Kariyawasam said so when The Island inquired about the inordinate delay in an official announcement in the wake of Chief Government Whip Prasanna Ranatunga declaring his support for incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s candidature whereas Leader of the House Susil Premjayanth, too, aligned himself with MP Nimal Lanza’s New Alliance backing the UNP leader.
Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera is another vocal supporter of President Wickremesinghe. Attorney-at-Law Kariyawasam emphasised that the SLPP would make the announcement in the near future. When The Island pointed out the SLPP was running out of time as the Election Commission would make an official announcement in respect of the presidential poll in mid-July, National List MP emphasized the declaration would be made at the right time.
“Even if we reached a consensus on their candidate, an announcement wouldn’t be made in a hurry,” MP Kariyawasam said. The first-time entrant to parliament discussed the issues at hand against the backdrop of SLPP Chairman Mahinda Rajapaksa and its founder Basil Rajapaksa meeting President Ranil Wickremesinghe to iron out differences between the two parties.
MP Kariyawasam said that the SLPP officially announced Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s candidature on Aug 11, 2019, just three months ahead of the polls day.
The SLPP spokesman pointed out the JVP/NPP and SJB presidential polls campaigns had run out of steam. The SJB declared its leader Sajith Premadasa’s candidature on May 16, 2023, soon after the JVP/NPP named their leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake as the contestant.
The party wouldn’t bar members from commenting on the issue at hand but expected all to go along with the decision taken by the party.
In spite of electing Wickremesinghe as the President in July 2022, to complete the remainder of Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s five-year term, the SLPP couldn’t secure new cabinet appointments for its members, MP Kariyawasam said.
Earlier in the day, the media asked Chief Government Whip who is also urban development and housing minister Ranatunga whether he backed Wickremesinghe’s candidature or the SLPP.
The Gampaha District MP said that the issue of him taking sides didn’t arise as President Wickremesinghe, too, was with the SLPP. The media confronted Ranatunga as he was leaving a meeting of the SLPP parliamentary group held at Nelum Mawatha office, Battaramulla also attended by SLPP General Secretary Kariyawasam.
Asked whether the SLPP would field Wickremesinghe at the next presidential poll, Minister Ranatunga said that the party would decide in due course.
As the media pressed the Minister on his stand on Wickremesinghe and also that of the party, he asked the media to pose their questions to Basil Rajapaksa who was at the Nelum Mawatha office at that time.
Later in the day, addressing a gathering at Naiwala, Gampaha Minister Ranatunga reiterated that Wickremesinghe, who accepted the daunting task of leading the country during the ongoing crisis, was the best candidate the SLPP could field. Minister Ranatunga said that it was the SLPP’s responsibility to back Wickremesinghe as the people, too, wanted him as he proved his capacity to effect a system change in the country.
Minister Ranatunga emphasised that the SLPP should accept responsibility for their failure to properly govern the country in spite of polling 6.9 mn votes and 6.6 mn votes at the 2019 presidential and 2020 parliamentary polls. Therefore, Wickremesinghe, who stepped-in at a very difficult time should be given an opportunity to contest the presidential poll.
The Gampaha District strongman has declared that Wickremesinghe was the best though there were other names mentioned as possible candidates. The lawmaker stressed that as the country faced an immense economic crisis, Wickremesinghe, who had already proved his expertise in this field, was the most qualified to lead the country.
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
