News
Public urged not to be deceived by TNA’s opposition to ONUR law
FNO says Geneva Road Map progressing rapidly, consequences catastrophic
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Secretary to the Federation of National Organizations (FNO) Dr. Wasantha Bandara yesterday (10) urged the public not to be deceived by Tamil political parties’ refusal to back the Office for National Unity and Reconciliation (ONUR) Bill.
Parliament adopted the new law on Tuesday with 48 MPs voting for the Bill, while seven opposed.
Dr. Bandara alleged that was a joint government and Tamil parties’ strategy to hoodwink the people. Pointing out that some members of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and All Ceylon Tamil Congress (ACTC) aka Ahila Ilankai Thamil Congress (AITC), had been among those who voted against the Bill, Dr. Bandara found fault with the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) and Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MPs for failing to take a stand against the separatist agenda.
The enactment of the new law is meant to give legal teeth to the Office for National Unity and Reconciliation (ONUR) that had been established during yahapalana administration in terms of the Geneva dictates, Dr. Bandara said.
The FNO dismissed concerns expressed by a section of the civil society regarding ONUR Bill as mere propaganda. “They are always looking for an opportunity to appease their sponsors.”
Dr. Gunadasa Amarasekera’s effort on behalf of the FNO to convince the members of Parliament to oppose the Bill had been in vain, Dr. Bandara said. Asked whether the FNO intended to step up the campaign against what the grouping called Geneva Road Map, Dr. Bandara said that three of the offices that had been mentioned in the Geneva Road Map were set up beginning with the Office on Missing Persons (OMP) on Aug 2016, followed by Office of Reparations in Oct 2018.
Dr. Bandara said that with the enactment on the ONUR law, the government was in a position to appoint a Commission for Truth, Unity and Reconciliation through an Act of Parliament. According to him, once the Parliament enacted that law, the war-winning military and the then political leadership would have to face the consequences.
Dr. Bandara said that in addition to the Bills that had been enacted and the proposed law to set up a Truth, Unity and Reconciliation Commission, Sri Lanka approved three other Bills in line with the Geneva Road Map.
The FNO spokesperson said that regardless of continuing political uncertainty President Wickremesinghe had proceeded with the Geneva Road Map.
Responding to The Island queries, Dr. Bandara said that the President was most likely to present the relevant Act soon. Had President Gotabaya Rajapaksa heeded our warnings, the Geneva Road Map could have been averted, Dr. Bandara said, disclosing that he, on behalf of the FNO on January 11 last year, explained the Western strategy to undermine the government. Interested parties targeted the then Army Commander General Shavendra Silva and Defence Secretary Kamal Gunaratne to unsettle the military ahead of the US-backed public protest campaign to oust that government, Dr. Bandara 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
