News
Prof. Peiris warns Pub. Administration Secy. of three-year jail term
Govt defeat at LG polls certain, early general election inevitable
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Breakaway SLPP group Nidahasa Janatha Sabhawa says a general election is inevitable early this year. Top rebel group spokesperson Prof. G.L. Peiris, MP, on Monday (16) asserted that the Wickremesinghe-Rajapaksa government was trying to postpone Local Government polls scheduled for Feb-March, somehow, as it realized continuation of current arrangement wouldn’t be possible in the wake of certain defeat at the forthcoming polls.
Addressing the media at their Nawala Office, the former External Affairs Minister said that the parliamentary majority the ruling coalition still enjoyed didn’t reflect the actual situation on the ground.
In spite of UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe being elected by parliament on July 20, 2022 to complete the remainder of Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s five year term, contentious issues, such as the resolution of the national issue couldn’t be addressed by an administration that didn’t have a popular mandate.
The parliamentary approval for 2023 budget received on Dec 08, 2022 too hadn’t given Wickremesinghe’s government confidence to face the electorate at the LG polls, Prof. Peiris said. Therefore, the government ‘s reluctance to face LG polls meant that it was not in a position to contest general election, Prof. Peiris said, predicting mini poll would be followed by general election within 3-4 months.
Referring to Supreme Court taking up two fundamental rights petitions filed by Opposition political parties, tomorrow (Jan. 18), Prof. Peiris said that the government couldn’t reverse the electoral process now.
Prof. Peiris said that the declaration made by EC pertaining to the acceptance of nominations from Jan 18-21 meant ongoing government efforts to put off LG polls couldn’t succeed, under any circumstances.
Demanding that Attorney General Sanjay Rajaratnam, PC, take appropriate measures against Public Administration Secretary Neal Bandara Hapuhinna for trying to halt the electoral process, Prof Peiris said the Opposition wouldn’t hesitate to move court against the concerned official in case the AG failed to do what was expected of him.
President Wickremesinghe brought in Hapuhinna as Public Administration Secretary in place of Priyantha Mayadunne.
The National List MP said that Hapuhinna couldn’t absolve himself of the responsibility for interfering in the process by claiming he acted on the instructions of the Cabinet-of-Ministers. The rebel MP warned that Hapuhinna’s offense carried a three year jail sentence.
Hapuhinna on Jan. 10 directed District Secretaries not to accept deposits. He withdrew the orders within hours in the face of unwavering stand taken by the EC.
Prof. Peiris emphasized that the executive or the Cabinet of Ministers couldn’t interfere with the electoral process. Declaring that Hapuhinna was personally responsible for the illegal directive issued by him, Prof. Peiris pointed out how the recent Supreme Court judgment pertaining to 2019 Easter Sunday carnage held the accused personally responsible for the lapses that caused death and destruction.
Prof. Peiris warned Hapuhinna of dire consequences unless he tendered a proper apology to court.
The former minister scoffed at the ongoing attempt to justify the postponement of LG polls on the basis of insufficient funds as required financial allocation had been made in budget 2023. The projected government expenditure had been estimated at Rs.5, 819 bn whereas the allocation for LG poll was Rs. 10 bn, or just 0.17 percent of the total expenditure.
Commenting on recent statements that had been attributed to the EC, Prof. Peiris said that actually the poll could be conducted at a lower cost to the taxpayer.
The SLPP National List MP alleged that the recent claim the IMF asked the government to stop printing money therefore it was not in a position to meet even the basic requirements was a transparent bid to deceive the public.
The lawmaker challenged the government to table staff level agreement between the government and the IMF reached on Sept. 01, 2022. “In spite of repeated requests, the government didn’t submit the agreement,” Prof. Peiris said, questioning the validity of the often repeated claim the government couldn’t print money in terms of the said agreement.
If so, the government owed an explanation as to how as much as Rs 278 bn had been printed between Oct 1, 2022 and Dec 31, 2022, the former minister said.
Asserting that interest rates had been increased extraordinarily last year, during April 01-Dec 31, 2022 period, a staggering Rs 848 were paid as interests, the lawmaker said.
If the government is genuinely concerned about runaway expenditure, State Ministries could be abolished, Prof. Peiris said, asking whether the powers intended to fill the remaining 12 vacancies in the cabinet.
The postponement of LG polls for whatever reason could have a detrimental impact with the IMF loan facility, the ex-minister warned.
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
