News
Prof. Peiris questions whether RW seeking moratorium on elections
LG polls postponement indication of govt. plans
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Prof. G.L. Peiris, MP, on Monday (02), said that despite the Election Commission’s assurance that the period for nominations for Local Government polls would be announced this week, his group was suspicious of the EC’s intentions.
Addressing the media, at Nawala, on behalf of SLPP rebel group Nidahas Jathika Sabhawa, the former Foreign Minister said the EC’s assertion that it couldn’t take a contrary view in case Parliament decided to put off scheduled LG polls. Prof. Peiris was commenting on recent media reports that dealt with the EC’s possible reaction.
In spite of a split, with three small breakaway factions going independent of the SLPP parliamentary group, it still commands the majority in Parliament.
Lawmaker Peiris insisted that Parliament couldn’t, under any circumstances, intervene in this matter. Referring to some related Supreme Court decisions, MP Peiris said the scheduled LG polls could be postponed, by a referendum.
Therefore, whatever the strategies contemplated by those who were afraid of the impending LG election, fearing its outcome, it would have to be conducted, Prof. Peiris said, declaring the outcome was not difficult to ascertain.
The former minister said that there hadn’t been a previous instance of a government, here or abroad, seeking to postpone an election, citing economic difficulties.
If the Wickremesinghe-Rajapaksa government was allowed to postpone an election, on such grounds, President Ranil Wickremesinghe would seek to do the same at the next presidential poll.
The SLPP, on July 20, 2022, elected the UNP leader as the President to complete the remainder of Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s five-year term. Alleging that the incumbent administration hadn’t been able to put in place a tangible action plan, essential for economic recovery, Prof. Peiris said that Wickremesinghe would seek to postpone the presidential poll, too, citing the continuing crisis.
The next presidential poll is scheduled for Nov 2024. Without doubt, the public could expect the government to try to avoid parliamentary polls, scheduled for the following year, the ex-minister said.
The rebel SLPP MP asked whether the government was seeking a moratorium on elections as it obviously feared the electorate. The academic questioned the justification for the LG polls postponement, while squandering public funds on State Ministers. The appointment of 39 State Ministers, late last year, was quite a heavy burden for taxpayers, Prof. Peiris said, adding that if the powers that be genuinely was concerned about economic difficulties, a colossal amount of public funds wouldn’t have been allocated for State Ministers.
In terms of the Constitution, 30 Cabinet and 40 non-Cabinet ministers can be appointed.
Prof. Peiris said that the filling of 12 vacancies, remaining in the Cabinet, would make matters worse.
Alleging that the government was on a money printing spree, regardless of the consequences, Prof. Peiris said that the government seemed to have money for all its political projects, except the impending Local Government polls.
Pointing out that the government expenditure for 2023 has been estimated at Rs. 7,600 bn, Prof. Peiris questioned the difficulty in allocating Rs. 10 bn required for the election.
Reiterating his commitment for the overall Opposition plan to pressure the government to conduct the election, Prof. Peiris said that the Supreme Court would hear two cases, on January 18, filed by Opposition political parties. Prof. Peiris and General Secretary of the Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) Ranjith Madduma Bandara, MP, filed one petition, while Chief Opposition Whip Lakshman Kiriella, SLFP General Secretary Dayasiri Jayasekera, TNA MP M.A. Sumanthiran, PC, and SLPP MP Anura Priyadarshana Yapa moved the SC, separately.
Except for the Elpitiya Pradeshiya Sabha, the last LG polls were held in Feb. 2018, during the Yahapalana administration. The election for the Elpitiya PS was held in Oct. 2019.
The respondents are Nimal G. Punchihewa (Election Commission Chairperson), and its members S.B. Divaratne, M.M. Mohamed, K.P.P. Pathirana and P.S.M. Charles. In addition to the EC, incumbent Premier Dinesh Gunawardena, too, has been made a respondent as he holds the Local Government portfolio.
Prof. Peiris said that in case the government moved ahead with the planned postponement, the Opposition would launch a protest campaign in Parliament, countrywide protests outside Parliament, further legal measures, and also lobby at international level.
Prof. Peiris vowed they would do everything possible to ensure the public’s right to exercise their franchise.
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
