News
Several hats in the ring but eventual two horse race?
Several hats will be thrown into the ring when parliament elects one of its members later this week as the new president to serve ex-President Gotabaya Rajapaksas balance term, political insiders said on Friday hours before this edition of the Sunday Island went to press.A political insider opined on Friday that despite various names being discussed, it would eventually be a two horse race between Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe and one other candidate. He said that discussions were ongoing on whether the opposition will run one or more candidates.
The breaking news on Friday was that the SLPP will back Ranil Wickremesinghe. SLPP General Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam made the formal announcement on Friday evening.Parliament will meet on Saturday when former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s resignation and the vacancy arising as a consequence will be formally communicated. Thereafter nominations will be called, closing Tuesday with voting on Wednesday on the election of a successor if there is more than one candidate.
The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) of the Rajapaksas will not be officially running a candidate at the poll which will be by secret ballot. This is widely interpreted in some quarters to suggest that this party, which with 145 seats commands the majority in the 225-member legislature, is likely to largely support acting President Ranil Wickremesinghe who will be a formidable runner despite his UNP having only one seat in the legislature.
“Ranil was able to remain prime minister in recent weeks thanks to the SLPP support he commands. Otherwise he would have been toppled by a no-confidence motion which wasn’t even attempted,” a political insider said. “But anything can happen in a secret ballot.”However over 40 MPs elected under the SLPP banner but belonging to mostly small parties took their seats in the opposition saying they will be “independent.” How they will vote is an open question. Most of them are unlikely to support Wickremesinghe.
Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa who, as deputy leader of the UNP under Ranil Wickremesinghe, ran against Gotabaya Rajapaksa clearly harbors presidential ambitions. SLFP General Secretary Dayasiri Jayasekera went on record on Friday saying his party with 14 seats will back Premadasa for prime minister. SJB sources said they will field Premadasa for president.
This was after Wickremesinghe, appointed acting president hours before Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled the country, called on the Speaker to name a lawmaker commanding the most support in the legislature to be invited to be prime minister and form a government.
It was unclear as this was being written whether a new prime minister and a government will be appointed when the election of a new president within days was imminent.
Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka, appointed to parliament on the SJB National list, and serving as its chairman, has expressed willingness to serve as president. He said on Wednesday that he had not communicated this to Premadasa claiming there was no obligation to do so.
MP Dallas Alahapperuma has been frequently mentioned aa favored SLPPer for leadership position. He has been a longtime Rajapaksa loyalist. There was no word on whom the Rajapaksas favor to succeed GR. But there have been allegations that Wickremesinghe, as prime minister of the previous yahapalana government dragged his feet on using the might of the state against the Rajapaksas.
There was unconfirmed speculation that Wickremesinghe and the Rajapaksas are in discussion. Basil Rajapaksa, the national organizer and founder of the SLPP, is considered that party’s eminence grise and is expected to be a vital player in ongoing maneuvering.
“Several candidates will mean a divided vote that will influence the eventual outcome,” a political insider 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
