News
Prisoner rights group says CCTV footage risks deletion
by Saman Indrajith
The Committee for Protecting Rights of Prisoners (CPRP) yesterday said that there was a risk of CCTV footage at the Anuradhapura prison being edited or deleted to protect State Minister Lohan Ratwatte.
CPRP President Attorney at Law Senaka Perera told the Sunday Island that the CCTV footage contained visuals of Ratwatte and his friends arriving at the prison premises and entering restricted areas.
“We have information that they were drunk. He could say that he is an MP and is entitled to visit a prison anytime. There is no such law. Sections 38 and 39 of the Prisons Ordinance permits an MP to visit a prison between 5.30 am to 5.30 pm.
“In addition, he goes there with a firearm. Not even the Commissioner General of Prisons could go near the inmates with firearms according to the law except in specified instances,” Perera said.
He said that the CPRP has lodged a complaint with the CID urging the immediate arrest of State Minister Lohan Ratwatte over allegedly threatening Tamil prisoners at the Anuradhapura Prison, CPRP President Attorney at Law Senaka Perera told the Sunday Island that Ratwatte could be arrested without a warrant.
Perera also accused the Commissioner General of Prisons Thushara Upuldeniya and Commissioner of Prisons Chandana Ekanayake of dereliction of duty as public officers of the State by aiding and abetting Ratwatte’s actions.
“The Commissioner General should know that Ratwatte is not his paymaster but the people of this country. We have evidence to believe that some prison officers aided and abetted Ratwatte and demand action against them and those officers who neglected their duties as government officials,” he said.
Perera said that the necessary steps should be taken to protect the CCTV footage of this incident which took place at the Anuradhapura Prison as there was a risk of it being deleted.
General Secretary of the CPRP, Sudesh Nandimal De Silva said that Ratwatte should be arrested and rehabilitated. “The government gave the task of rehabilitating prisoners to a person who should be referred for rehabilitation himself. We demand that he be arrested immediately,” De Silva said.
“We wonder whether Ratwatte went to the prison with a pistol to kill someone there. If he wanted to show the gallows to someone, why did he need a pistol. One does not need a pistol to show gallows to another,” said De Silva, who was one of the key eyewitnesses of the notorious 2012 Welikada prison massacre.
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
