News
SJB declares Sajith’s candidature; SLPP dissidents to field Dullas
AKD, SF and Patali mentioned for the post of PM
By Shamindra Ferdinando
A section of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) has proposed MP Dullas Alahapperuma as the President and Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) leader Sajith Premadasa, MP, as the Premier.
However, Premadasa, who is also the incumbent leader of the Opposition, has rejected the offer. Instead, he has asked for the Presidency.
Amidst ongoing negotiations among political parties represented in Parliament and other stakeholders, the SJB has announced its leader Premadasa as Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s successor.
The SJB said that a unanimous decision has been made in this regard at the Opposition Leader’s Office on Monday (11). SJB General Secretary Ranjith Madduma Bandara has recommended Premadasa whereas Chairman of the party, Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka, too, endorsed it.
Political sources said that the SJB has made its decision in the wake of a party leaders’ meeting held at the parliamentary complex on Monday to reach consensus on the election of next President. Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena has chaired the meeting. Referring to the relevant constitutional provisions, the Speaker’s Office said that the election would be held on Wednesday.
A statement issued by the Speaker’s Office quoted the Chief Government Whip as having assured the party leaders that the Cabinet of Ministers, including the Prime Minister, were ready to quit immediately to facilitate the formation of an all-party government.
The current Parliament is represented by 15 political parties. They are SLPP (145 members), SJB (54), ITAK (10), JJB (03), AITC (02), EPDP (02), UNP, SLFP, OPPP (Our Power of People Party), TMVP (Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal), MNA (Muslim National Alliance), TMTK (Tamil Makkal Theshiya Kutani), ACMC (All Ceylon Makkal Congress), NC (National Congress) and SLMC (Sri Lanka Muslim Congress) represented by one MP each.
Sources said that they were still hopeful of reaching agreement with the SJB leader regarding the presidency and the premiership. They said that members were of the view that the presidency, the premiership and the Cabinet of Ministers should be named through consensus.
Speaker Abeywardena would function as the Acting President for a week (July 13 to July 20). However, that would depend on Premier Wickremesinghe, too, resigning simultaneously with President Rajapaksa, sources said. In case the PM didn’t resign, he would be sworn in as the President pending the election of the President, sources said.
Responding to queries, sources said that if consensus couldn’t be reached over the next few days, the possibility of a three-way contest for the presidency couldn’t be ruled out. That would divide the SLPP with dissident faction which called itself the reformist group backing lawmaker Alahapperuma and the rest largely backing UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, in case he contested, sources said.
The other candidate would be SJB Chief Premadasa, sources said, adding that the group backing MP Alahapperuma had suggested JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka and SJB MP Patali Champika Ranawaka as prime ministerial candidates. Sources said if consensus could be reached on the JVP leader, the war winning Army Commander could serve as the Minister of Defence and Patali Champika Ranawaka as Power and Energy Minister.
Party leaders have repeatedly stressed that both President Rajapaksa and Premier Wickremesinghe should resign. Sources said that it would be of pivotal importance to reach consensus with the groups that had been engaged in high profile campaigns against the government.
Sources said that the arrangement under discussion would be for a period of one year. The group that has backed the proposed interim solution included several Viyathmaga activists, sources said, adding that attempts were made to iron out differences among the SLPP parliamentary group.
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
