News
Prez warned of consequences of attacks on SJB
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Leader of Eksath Janaraja Peramuna (EJP) Patali Champika Ranawaka, MP, has warned the Wickremesinghe-Rajapaksa government of catastrophic consequences if police are unleashed on protesting political parties.
Ranawaka, elected on the SJB ticket, emphasised the responsibility on the part of UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, who is also the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces, in addition to being the Defence Minister, to ensure a peaceful environment in the run-up to a national election, in six months’ time.
If the government targeted political parties with a view to suppress dissenting views, violence could erupt during the election campaign, the former minister said, warning of post-election incidents unless the government gave up its current strategy.
MP Ranawaka stressed that the change of government later this year was now certain. The Colombo District MP was commenting on what he called an indiscriminate police attack on the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) protest in Colombo on the afternoon of January 30th.
The police disrupted the protest march soon after it began near Viharamahadevi Park. They mounted a sustained water cannon and tear gas attack on the protesters led by SJB leader Sajith Premadasa.
The former Jathika Hela Urumaya stalwart ironically urged President Wickremesinghe not to resort to his predecessor Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s violent strategies, even though the latter was blamed by many for his leniency towards protests that eventually brought him down.
MP Ranawaka who had served Wickremesinghe’s cabinet-of-ministers during 2015-2019 yahapalana administration said that President Wickremesinghe should respond to situations keeping in mind he was elected by parliament to complete the remainder of Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s five-year term.
Wickremesinghe received 134 votes, including his sole vote from the UNP, whereas his chief opponent Dallas Alahapperuma managed just 82 though he was elected to the parliament on the SLPP ticket at the last general election in August 2022.
Declaring that the country was heading for a fresh cycle of violence, MP Ranawaka said that those in charge of police should be held accountable for the rapidly deteriorating situation. The EJP leader said that the unprovoked attack on the SJB underscored the growing threat to basic freedoms at a time the vast majority of people were struggling to make ends meet. He examined the President’s actions against the backdrop of the passage of the Online Safety Bill that was really meant to silence critics.
The ex-minister said that the people couldn’t cope with sharply increased electricity and fuel prices and unprecedented increase in taxes. Therefore, the ongoing Opposition campaigns have attracted significant public participation thereby causing concerns among the powers that be, MP Ranawaka said.
Lawmaker Ranawaka alleged that the moves to privatize the Electricity Board, Sri Lanka Insurance, Litro Gas as well as three state banks triggered apprehension among their employees. There were also growing issues in other sections of the public sector, MP Ranawaka said, while referring to trouble brewing in the Board of Investment (BoI).
The ex-minister said that unless the government responded to the developing situation prudently the stability could be undermined, paving the way for chaos. Contrary to often repeated government claims that the situation had been stabilized and the country making significant progress, MP Ranawaka said that the crisis was far from over. The situation is delicate and failure on the part of those at the helm to navigate the turbulent waters could be quite disastrous, the ex-minister said.
The lawmaker urged President Wickremesinghe to create a level playing field without resorting to the Rajapaksa-type tactics that would plunge the country into a fresh crisis.
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.
