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Ramanayake languishes in prison while big time criminals are pardoned – former Speaker
Former MP Ranjan Ramanayake is languishing in prison while big-time criminals are pardoned by the President, Former Speaker Karu Jayasuriya, Chairman of the National Movement for Social Justice, says.
Ramanayake’s career and health had been ruined because he fought against corruption, Jayasurya said, yesterda, addressing the media. “This is another example of how there is one law for the rich and the powerful, and another for others.”.
“In recent times, the government is harping on the ‘One Country, One Law’ policy. However, recent events have made it clear that one law exists to protect the powerful while another law exists to oppress the downtrodden. The majority of people today have come to understand this reality,” he said.
Jayasuriya said that the existing laws, rules, and regulations were sufficient to implement the government’s ‘One Country, One Law’ policy. “Justice and the rule of law can only prevail if the police, the public service and the legal sector are not politically influenced. If these are independent, democracy will be protected. People will be assured of their fundamental rights,” he said.
The government had failed to address any of the serious issues that were affecting the country, the former speaker said. The number of Covid-19 patients were rising and deaths had also occurred due to natural disasters such as floods and landslides, Jayasuriya said.
“People are being forced to queue for long hours to obtain essential items, such as food, gas, sugar and milk powder as a result of shortages directly linked to failures in management of the current government. Therefore, it is evident that the lives of the Sri Lankan people today are in complete disarray. They are disappointed and disillusioned as the government has failed to resolve these issues despite receiving unlimited powers through the 20th Amendment and securing a 2/3 majority in Parliament,” he said.
The former Speaker added that the government’s organic fertiliser policy had been a disaster. While organic agriculture was the future, it should be done following expert advice and consultation. It was obvious that the government had taken the decision to go green without any thinking or planning, he said.
“The government decided to ban the import of agrochemicals without talking to anyone. This should have been done differently and now the idea of organic agriculture is tainted. Because there has been no planning, the yield of many crops have drastically reduced not only due to the lack of fertiliser but also due to a decision made by farmers to halt cultivation until a solution is reached.
“Experts have already predicted that reduction of the yield by around 40 per cent is probable in the near future. There is also a significant price increase of vegetables. The lack of any relief on the rising cost of living in the recent Budget has also caused great concern among the public. It must be noted that the failure to compensate for the reduction in yields caused by the fertiliser crisis, and the effects of the human-elephant conflict in the Budget is a serious oversight,” he 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
