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Rajeev elected to LAWASIA Ex Co
Rajeev Amarasuriya, Secretary of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka has been elected uncontested to the Executive Committee of LAWASIA (The Law Association for Asia and Pacific) for 2021 / 2022.
LAWASIA is a regional association of lawyers, judges, jurists and legal organisations, which advocates for the interests and concerns of the Asia Pacific legal profession.
For over 50 years, LAWASIA has operated as a platform to promote the cross-jurisdictional exchange of legal knowledge; as a voice of the legal profession; and as a conduit for encouraging adherence to mutually held principles of the rule of law, professional integrity and the protection of human rights.
The structure of LAWASIA comprises a Council constituting representatives of all LAWASIA Member Countries including Sri Lanka with a governing Executive Committee elected from among the representatives of the Member Countries.
BASL President Saliya Pieris, PC and BASL Secretary Rajeev Amarasuriya represent Sri Lanka on the LAWASIA Council as the Sri Lanka Councillor and the Alternate Councillor.
Country members of LAWASIA include ; Afghanistan, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, China, England and Wales, Fiji, Georgia, Germany, Hong Kong SAR, India, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Republic of Korea, Kuwait, Macau SAR, Malaysia, the Maldives, Mongolia, Nepal, New Zealand, Pakistan, Philippines, Russia, Samoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Taiwan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, United States of America, Vietnam and Sri Lanka.
Amarasuriya commenced his Legal Practice in the Law Chambers of Sanjeeva Jayawardena, PC. He practised law for more than a decade before commencing his own law Chambers. The Executive Committee of LAWASIA for 2021 / 2022 comprises President Melissa K. Pang (Former President of the Law Society of Hong Kong); Immediate Past President Chunghwan Choi (President of the International Association of Korean Lawyers); President Elect Shyam Divan (Senior Advocate from India); Vice President Eric Yang (Managing Partner Bae, Kim & Lee Singapore who is also a former Vice President International Affairs of the Korean Bar Association); Vice President Steven Thiru (Past President of the Malaysian Bar); Vice President Yap Teong Liang (Director, T.L. Yap Law Chambers Singapore) and Members; Rajeev Amarasuriya; Pauline Wright (Immediate Past President of the Law Council of Australia and presently the President of the New South Wales Council for Civil Liberties); Yin Baohn (Senior Counsellor of the General Office of the China Law Council); C.M. Chan (President of the Law Society of Hong Kong); Dr. Pinky Anand (Former Additional Solicitor General of India); Toshiro Ueyanagi (Secretary of the Japan Bar Association and Vice Chair of the Kanto Federation of Bar Associations); Angela Y. Lin (Director and Vice Chairperson International Affairs of the Taiwan Bar Association); and Robert Brown (Past Chair, International Section of the American Bar Association).
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
