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Proposed 20A to the Constitution makes the President “a super-creature” – Suren Fernando
ECONOMYNEXT –
The proposed 20th Amendment to the Constitution concentrates power in the President creating a “super creature not accountable to Parliament or the Courts,” says lawyer Suren Fernando.
Fernando, who was a National List nominee for the main opposition Samagi Jana Balavegaya, (SJB) says the sweeping powers given to the Presidency takes away the checks and balances on the powers of the President brought in by the 19th Amendment.
The government gazetted the proposed amendments which also allows dual citizens to hold political office.
This would open the door for Basil Rajapaksa, the Chief Organiser of the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna to enter Parliament and hold a Cabinet position, he said.
The younger Rajapaksa brother of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa is a dual citizen of the United States and Sri Lanka.
In an interview with EconomyNext Fernando said the crucial proposal to diminish the powers of the Constitutional Council (CC), created by the 19A will move power away from Parliament to the Executive.
The proposed Parliamentary Council will have no civil society representation and can only advise the President, he said.
The previous CC made the appointments and also reviewed the work of the independent commissions, Fernando noted.
The incumbent President “will have the sole power to appoint the members to Commissions, the Apex Courts (Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal) as well as the Inspector General of Police and the Attorney General.”
“This creates the risk that President will appoint people he thinks are favourable to him,” Fernando says.
In the case of Parliament and the Cabinet, the President under the proposed amendments will have the supreme power to appoint anyone he wishes as Ministers. The President can also hold any Ministry he wishes.
“This means that that through this power, he can control Parliament as well,” he opined.
The Amendment does say that the President is answerable to Parliament, “but that will be nominal,” Fernando says.
Under the 19A the President could only appoint Members of Parliament on the advice of the Prime Minister.
The proposal also abolishes the Audit Service Commission and the National Procurements Commission which were introduced by 19A as watchdog bodies on Public Finance.
“It was because of the Audit Commission that the Bonds Scam was discovered,” Fernando said.
The 20A also re-introduces the immunity granted to the President which was taken away in the 19A. Currently the President is immune from criminal prosecution during his term.
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
