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Sajith calls on media institutions to work closely with Opposition parties to protect country’s democracy
Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa on Wednesday urged Sri Lankan media institutions to work closely with the Opposition political parties to protect democracy. He made this appeal at a meeting with heads of media institutions. A number of representatives from opposition political parties too were present.Premadasa said that the Opposition political parties had closed ranks to defeat the anti-democratic practices of the government.
“There are many parties in the Opposition. However, there are many things we can agree on. Among them are the new anti-democratic laws that the government is planning to introduce. The proposed Anti-Terrorism Bill will be a death knell to the country’s democracy. If it is passed, the government will be able to send anyone to jail for terrorism because the definition of terrorism is very vague. It also gives dictatorial powers to the President,” he said.
Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) leader Rauff Hakeem said that the proposed Anti-Terrorism Bill would undermine the existing laws of the country and create chaos.
The President of the country could declare a state of emergency to deal with any situation, Hakeem said.
“We can easily use the existing laws, from the Penal Code to the witness ordinance, to deal with most problems we face. On extraordinary occasions, there are constitutional provisions that can be invoked. The proposed bill is not aimed at curbing terrorism as such. Instead, it is a bill to legalise state terrorism,” he said.
The SLMC leader added that the government had postponed elections indefinitely. It has also established a delimitation commission that can be used to delay the elections.Professor G.L. Peiris, representing the independent SLPP MPs, said that it would be impossible to prevent the government from passing the proposed anti-terrorism bill without the assistance of the media.
“The Minister of Justice has postponed the submission of this bill to parliament. This is a victory for democracy. This wouldn’t have been possible without the assistance of journalists who informed the people of the dangers of the bill. When Parliament meets next week, we will talk about what has happened to the X-Press Pearl compensation. We were supposed to get 6.4 billion dollars as compensation. This is more than double the IMF funding. We need to find out why we have not filed a case for over 24 months,” he said.
Head of the Yuthukama Group, Gevindu Cumaratunga said that the people must be educated on the dangers of the new Central Bank Act. The government and those affiliated to it were trying to convince the people that the would make the Central Bank independent, 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
