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Public Security Minister stands his ground on those violating ban on protests and rallies
By Saman Indrajith
Public Security Minister Rear Admiral (Retd) Sarath Weerasekera told Parliament yesterday (09) that anyone who violated health guidelines to hold demonstrations and rallies would be arrested and produced before courts.
The Minister said so following various remarks made by government and Opposition MPs on police arresting protestors, including the General Secretary of the Ceylon Teachers’ Union, for agitating near the Parliament roundabout on Thursday against the Kotelawala National Defence University Bill.
Minister Weerasekera: We will enforce law against any law breakers without considering their position or status. The Director General of Health Services has issued orders to the IGP not to allow any demonstrations, rallies and protests.
UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe: People have a right to stage protests. It is wrong to arrest them. Those taken into custody including Joseph Stalin have been taken to Mullaithivu. There are no provisions for that in the Quarantine Act. The quarantine laws cannot take precedence over human rights. Such laws have to be prepared in line with protection of human rights. They have not been tested for coronavirus.
Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa: These laws can be enforced only by a Competent Authority. In this issue the competent authority is the Director General of Health Services. There are guidelines on how to behave in public places. Police have no role here. Suppose there is a violation of quarantine law, then the police cannot nab the people; only health officials can deal with them. This is a clear violation of human rights. Police have also violated health regulations by arrogating the duties of the health officers to themselves. We demand to know on what basis those including Joseph Stalin were sent for quarantine without testing them. What prevails today is the law of the jungle.
JVP Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake: After Basil Rajapaksa took oaths, many gathered at public places to celebrate his appointment. We saw there were many public gatherings. Nobody was arrested.
Minister Weerasekera: We will arrest anyone who breaks the law. It is the health officers who prescribed banning of protests and rallies. They have been taken to Mullaithivu on the orders of health officials. I have not transported dresses for any women. When I heard a complaint that a group of people being taken to quarantine could not take their personal belongings, I referred the matter to the IGP. If I did the same in this case, you would accuse me of taking clothes to Stalin. We would not stop the quarantine process because there are statements. We will not stop arresting anyone staging protests breaking health regulations.
The Leader of the Opposition: There wasn’t a single health official in or outside the court. That is the bitter truth. Do not those health regulations apply to the parties that were held after swearing in of Basil Rajapaksa? Everybody saw how people got together to light firecrackers.
State Minister of Rural Roads and Other Infrastructure Nimal Lanza: I want to know whether we are following the items of today’s order paper. The Opposition tries to disrupt House proceedings by raising various irrelevant issues. They have turned the House business into a mockery. We demand that attention should be paid to the items mentioned in the order paper and they be implemented.
(Opposition MPs shout at State Minister Lanza. Some SJB MPs raise points of order)
Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena: What is the point of order? Do not disturb the parliament process. This is ugly. Your leaders have agreed to conduct the business of the House in an orderly manner.
(SJB MPs shout slogans)
JVP Leader Dissanayake: Laws have been written down. Laws are not what is being created inside the head of the minister.
The Speaker: Time is for presenting public petitions. Present the petition.
JVP leader Dissanayake: This is the petition of the entire nation. We hope to go before the law against this act.
Kuruengala District SJB MP Nalin Bandara: Minister Weerasekera sent Stalin to Mullaitivu and Piyumi Hansamali to Bandarawela.
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
