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Sirisena open to running for president again, denies reports of Dayasiri being sidelined
ECONOMYNEXT –The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) invites MPs from all parties to form a common alliance, former president and SLFP chairman Maithripala Sirisena said, also suggesting that he is open to running for president again.
Speaking to reporters in Colombo on Thursday August 31 after a party meeting, Sirisena said there is a chance he might be asked to contest a presidential election in 2024.
Asked if he would accept a call to run for president once again, Sirisena said, with a hearty laugh: “There is a chance it might happen.” His entourage, too, appeared to find his response amusing.
“Can’t I work as president? I have shown that I can. Let’s see how it goes. We’re ready for anything,” he said, getting into his vehicle.
At a press conference held earlier Thursday, the former president said the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) does not pose any challenge to his SLFP.
“The SLPP is now in shambles. No one knows what even happened to the president [Gotabaya Rajapaksa] in the end,” he said. “The SLPP Is barely a party. It has no formal structure, no one even knows what their constitution is,” he added.
Asked if members of the SLPP offered to work together with the SLFP, Sirisena said: “We invite everyone, not only the SLPP but all parties and MPs to come together to form an alliance for a good government.”
“We won’t give nominations to anyone with corruption allegations,” he said.
Sirisena went on to say that there is speculation that a provincial council election will be held first to test the waters. “We’re ready for any election,” he said.Meanwhile, SLFP general secretary Dayasiri Jayasekara responded to reports that sections of the party are conspiring to have him removed from the position. This follows a last-minute decision to shift the SLFP’s 72nd anniversary celebrations from Kurunegala, his electorate, to Colombo.
Speaking to reporters after Thursday evening’s party meeting, Jayasekara said he only learnt Thursday evening about the decision. Asked if it is true that the party’s general secretary doesn’t know what’s going on in his own party, he said: “I didn’t know before. But I know today.”
If Sirisena and the SLFP central committee no longer wishes to have him on board, Jayasekara said, he is happy to leave.
“I’ll remain in the party, though,” he said.
“There is no pushback against me from the bottom. It’s a few at the top level who want me out so they can go and plug this party to [President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s United National Party (UNP)],” he said.
Notable among the attendees at the party meeting on Thursday ahead of the anniversary event was Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera whom, among others in the SLFP who had joined President Wickremesinghe’s cabinet of ministers, had been on the receiving end of criticism from the party for going against a party decision to not accept President Wickremesinghe’s invitation to support the government.
Party leader Sirisena denied that there is any rift in the party. He explained the decision was made taking into account the rainy weather now prevailing in the country, despite heavy rains in Colombo.
“We have all been like brothers. I have no idea where you’re finding these false reports,” he said to reporters questioning him.Asked if there were attempts to remove Jayasekara as general secretary, Sirisena said: “Says who? That’s an absolute lie.” (Colombo/Sep01/2023)
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
