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Prof. Peiris predicts general election in mid-2023
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Prof. G. L. Peiris, MP, on Saturday (11), said that a general election would be inevitable in mid-2023. The former External Affairs Minister said that the Wickremesinghe-Rajapaksa government was still trying to sabotage the Local Government polls, scheduled for March 09, as it knew the implications of a very heavy defeat at the forthcoming contest.
Addressing the media, at the Nawala office of Nidahasa Jathika Sabawa, the top spokesman for one of the rebel SLPP groups asserted that an overwhelming Opposition victory would compel President Ranil Wickremesinghe to call for a general election.In terms of the Constitution, the President can dissolve Parliament in March this year.
Prof. Peiris’s SLPP group, too, represents the Nidahas Janatha Sandanaya in the fray at the March 09 LG polls.Alleging that the government, particularly the executive branch, worked overtime to cause uncertainty, regarding the conduct of the March 09 poll, Prof. Peiris emphasised that political, economic and social stability could be restored only by electing a new government.
The former law professor said UNP leader Wickremesinghe, with just one National List MP in the current Parliament, shouldn’t even think of addressing contentious issues, such as the full implementation of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution.Far stronger governments conveniently refrained from handling the issue at hand, Prof. Peiris said. Sri Lanka enacted the 13th Amendment. in Nov. 1987. in the wake of the Indo-Lanka accord of July 1987.
The Opposition called a special media briefing in the wake of one bench of the Supreme Court on Friday (10) granting permission for the 2023 Local Government Election to go ahead as planned by the Election Commission, while another bench postponed till Feb 23 the hearing of a petition filed by retired Army Colonel W.M.R. Wijesundara seeking to defer the polls. Postal voting is scheduled to begin on Feb 22.
At the onset of the briefing, Prof. Peiris explained how President Wickremesinghe tried to subvert the electoral process. The UNP leader would have succeeded if not for the joint effort made by 23 political parties and groups to thwart the despicable move.
Wickremesinghe’s operation meant to indefinitely delay LG polls began with the appointment of a delimitation Committee late last year, Prof. Peiris said, alleging the government targeted the five-member Election Commission. Their strategy was clear, the former Minister said, explaining an attempt made to weaken the Election Commission.
Finally P.S.M. Charles quit the Election Commission as she could not bear the constant pressure exerted by the powers that be, the SLPP National List MP said. Referring to Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, who is also the leader of the MEP and President Wickremesinghe summoning the Election Commission on several occasions, they should be ashamed of the way the Attorney General, too, was involved in the disgraceful operation.
Prof. Peiris questioned the attempt made by the government to prevent the Election Commission seeking the advice of private lawyers for obvious reasons. The Attorney General’s role in the government political project undermined the public faith in that Office, the lawmaker said, adding that those who interfered with the electoral process were personally liable.
Prof. Peiris said that Public Administration and Home Affairs Secretary Neil Bandara Hapuhinna could face a prison term up to three years in case the court was moved against him for issuing directives to Divisional Secretaries not to accept deposits. Premier Gunawardena has contradicted Hapuhinna that he acted on the instructions received from the Cabinet-of-Ministers, Prof. Peiris said.
The former minister rapped IGP C.D. Wickremaratne for submitting highly inflated estimates of funds required by his department to support the conduct of Local Government polls. Prof. Peiris also questioned the conduct of Finance Secretary Mahinda Siriwardena.
There couldn’t be an issue with regard to allocation of funds as the last budget approved in Dec 2022 apportioned Rs 10 bn, Prof. Peiris 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
