News
RTI law: Secy Gen, not Speaker, gatekeeper of parliament
…info cannot be withheld on the basis of parliamentary privileges and privacy of MPs
By Shamindra Ferdinando
The releasing of information in response to the Right to Information (RTI) queries was the prerogative of Secretary General of Parliament, Hansa Abeyrathne, Assistant Secretary General, Parliament and Information Officer (IO) said.
The House official said so in response to a recent The Island RTI query pertaining to the landmark Court of Appeal ruling that information sought by journalist Chamara Sampath of Wijeya Newspapers also under RTI law be released two years and three months after the petitioner lodged an appeal with the RTI Commission.
The Court on Feb 28, 2023 reaffirmed the RTI commission’s stand that Declarations of Assets and Liabilities Law of 1975 (DALL) didn’t prevail over the Right to Information Act no. 12 of 2016 (RTI Act). A member of the RTI commission told The Island that the new ruling meant a Fundamental Right in terms of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, is superior to DALL.
Abeyrathne said that parliament rejected the RTI request made on June 21, 2018 by Chamara Sampath. That decision had been taken by the then IO Tikiri K.Jayathilake, Abeyrathne said in response to our query whether the Speaker decided on that matter. Karu Jayasuriya served as the Speaker at that time. Jayathilake has declined to disclose the requested information on August 21, 2018, exactly two months after Chamara Sampath made the request in terms of RTI law.
The first appeal to then Secretary General Dhammika Dasanayake who functioned as the Designated Officer (DO) pertaining to RTI matters had been made on August 30, 2018 and he had rejected the request on Sept 07, 2018, hence the decision on the part of the journalist to seek the RTI Commission’s intervention on Sept 11, 2018.
On March 23 this year, Kushani Rohanadeera received the appointment as the Secretary General. She also functions as the DO.
Asked whether the then Speaker Jayasuriya decided to take legal action to prevent the disclosure of information sought by the journalist? Abeyrathne said that the then Secretary General Dhammika Dasanayake moved the court in that regard.
The journalist has asked for a list of names of Members of Parliament (MPs) who have handed over their respective declarations of assets and liabilities in 2018 and list of names of MPs who have handed over their Declarations from 2010 to the time he made the request.
There hadn’t been any legal fees as the Attorney General’s Department represented parliament, Abeyrathne said. According to him, since the enactment of Right to Information Act, No. 12 of 2016, the parliament moved court in this regard only once (CA/RTI/0004/2021).
In addition to Abeyrathne, Chaminda Kularatne, Chief of Staff and Deputy Secretary General of Parliament also functions as the IO.The court found fault with the Secretary General of Parliament for holding back information that should have been released without hassle.
The bone of contention according to the court ruling has been whether the requested information should be sought from the Speaker in terms of DALL or the IO and then appealed to the DO.
According to the RTI Commission, the DO as claimed by Chamara Sampath has declined to disclose information even after the Speaker asked him to do so. The Attorney General has declined to advise parliament whether the Speaker could release information due to a related matter being pending at the Court of Appeal.
Finally, the Court of Appeal upheld the RTI Commission’s assertion that the requested information should be released regardless of DO’s stand that the Speaker and the Secretary General were separate and distinct positions in parliament.
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.
