News
Privilege issue: Justice Minister faults Speaker, questions Chamal’s role
by Shamindra Ferdinando
Justice Minister Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, PC, yesterday (10) found fault with Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena for the way he had handled the disciplinary inquiry in respect of State Minister of Tourism, Diana Gamage.
Speaker Abeywardena had set a very bad precedent, Minister Rajapakshe who also holds Prisons Affairs and Constitutional reforms said, stressing the responsibility on the part of the Parliament to avert a similar situation in the future.
The Minister said so when The Island sought his opinion on Speaker Abeywardena discarding recommendation made by a five-member committee that inquired into the unruly behaviour of three Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MPs, namely Diana Gamage, Rohana Bandara and Sujith Sanjaya Perera outside the chamber on Oct 20. “The Speaker surprised the vast majority of members by rejecting recommendations made by a Committee appointed by him. He certainly owed an explanation,” Minister Rajapakshe said.
The Committee consisted of Deputy Speaker Ajith Rajapaksa, former Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa, Gayantha Karunathilaka, Imthiaz Bakeer Markar and Ramesh Pathirana.
Dr. Rajapakse emphasised that he explained to the House how the Speaker erred in his decision in this regard. Having received the recommendations of the Deputy Speaker’s Committee, Speaker Abeywardena then sent it to the Ethics and Privileges Committee for a final decision, Minister Rajapakse said.The Ethics and Privileges Committee, chaired by Chamal Rajapaksa, has discarded the recommendation that State
Minister Gamage and Rohana Bandara be suspended for three months and one month, respectively whereas Sujith Sanjaya Perera be issued a warning.The Ethics and Privileges Committee has recommended that all three be suspended for a month with effect from Dec. 2. They’ll not be able to vote for the third reading of the budget on Wednesday (13).
Minister Rajapakshe said that Chamal Rajapaksa having served the Deputy Speaker’s five-member committee subsequently dismissed his own recommendations as the head of the Ethics and Privileges Committee.
Having entered parliament on the main Opposition SJB National List Diana Gamage switched allegiance to the SLPP in Oct 2020 when she voted for the 20th Amendment to the Constitution.
SLPP National List MP Gevindu Cumaratunga said that Speaker Abeywardena should have accepted Minister Rajapakshe’s proposal for Premier Dinesh Gunawardena and SJB and Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa to discuss the issues at hand with the three SJB MPs concerned. Lawmaker Cumaratunga said that they could have reached a consensus on this matter as the SJB leader, too, appreciated the Justice Minister’s proposal. Unfortunately, Speaker Abeywardena on Dec 02 called a vote on the Ethics and Privilege Committee’s recommendation that all three be suspended for a month each, MP Cumaratunga.
Of the 225-member Parliament, only 61 members had been present at that time of the vote and of them 57 voted for the suspension of the MPs, one against and three skipped the vote. MP Cumaratunga said that Opposition members walked out of the chamber before the vote was taken.
Leader of the House Susil Premjayantha is on record as having told parliament on that day that he was not involved at all in Speaker Abeywardena’s decision.
Pointing out the controversial roles played by Chamal Rajapaksa in Deputy Speaker’s Committee and Ethics and Privileges Committee, SJB National List MP Imthiaz Bakeer Markar asked whether Parliament was under the influence of a hidden hand. The former minister pointed out the danger such maneuvering posed to Parliament.
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
