News
SJB demands LG polls instead of conference on ‘local governance’
‘Such events irrelevant as a jittery govt. continues to avoid electorate’
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Chief Opposition Whip Lakshman Kirirella, MP, has said the Wickremesinghe-Rajapaksha government should hold Local Government (LG) polls without further delay.The Samagi Jana Balavegala (SJB) heavyweight questioned the rationale behind spending public funds on a three-day international conference on local governance in Colombo this week at a time the Opposition was demanding the government to conduct the much delayed local government polls.
The three-day conference, organised by Sri Lanka Institute of Local Governance (SLILG), will be held at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute (SLFI) commencing 05 Oct. President Ranil Wickremesinghe and Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena are scheduled to attend the inauguration.Kiriella warned the government that it couldn’t hoodwink the public by conducting conferences on local government instead of local government polls. The former UNP minister acknowledged that their Yahapalana government, too, had put off local government polls. But, ultimately, paid a very heavy price for what he called a strategic blunder.
MP Kiriella asserted that both President Wickremesinghe, with just one UNP seat in Parliament, and absolutely no local government bodies under its control, and the trouble-ridden SLPP feared to face the electorate.The terms of the LG bodies were to expire in March this year but they were extended by a Gazette notification till 19 March 2023.
Former Provincial Councils and Local Government Minister Roshan Ranasinghe issued the relevant Gazette notification pertaining to 24 Municipal Councils, 41 Urban Councils, and 275 Pradeshiya Sabhas.Kiriella said the Covid-19 pandemic had been cited as an excuse for postponing the LG polls.Commenting on the inauguration of the National Council, on 29 Sept., Kiriella, who attended it, told The Island the government was not genuine in its efforts to overcome the crisis.
MP Kiriella said that he had reminded Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena how the latter had gone back on a promise to allow the Opposition to head the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) and the Committee on Public Accounts (COPA). The Speaker had given that pledge at a meeting of the Parliamentary Business Committee on June 07, and reiterated it on 12 August, in Parliament, Kiriella said.
Contrary to the Standing Orders, the SLPP retained the leadership of the COPE, the COPA, as well as the Committee on Public Finance (COPF) following the last parliamentary elections. Commending the leadership given by Prof. Charitha Herath (COPE), Prof. Tissa Vitharana (COPA) and Anura Priyadarshana Yapa (COPF) during Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s tenure as the President, MP Kiriella emphasised that the Opposition could have played a much better role if the three watchdog committees were under the leadership of Opposition members.
The circumstances leading to the country declaring bankruptcy, in May this year, should be examined against the backdrop of the government retaining control of three watchdog committees, the Chief Opposition Whip said. In the wake of the economic turmoil, the government gave control of the COPF to the Opposition (Dr. Harsha de Silva) though a decision was yet to be made on the COPE and the COPA.
MP Kiriella said the SJB didn’t want to reject the National Council outright without giving it an opportunity. But their cooperation would depend on the government’s readiness to address the concerns of the Opposition, MP Kiriella said, adding that the SJB was yet to name its representatives to the National Council. In addition to two ex-officio positions (Opposition Leader and Chief Opposition Whip), the SJB can name three MPs to the council.
MP Kiriella said that the government should realise that the National Council couldn’t, under any circumstances, achieve what was expected of an all-party- government. He warned that the SJB wouldn’t dance to the SLPP’s tune. The inordinate delay in LG polls, the appointment of 38 State Ministers and the moves to increase the number of Cabinet ministers by 10 more wouldn’t help achieve consensus, the MP said, demanding that the government made a clear statement on how it intended to address the economic woes.
MP Kiriella said that the TNA, the JVP and SLPP rebels had rejected the National Council. The government should address the concerns of the Opposition immediately as, contrary to their expectations, the situation was deteriorating. “I Hope the President and the SLPP realize the agreement with the IMF for USD 2.9 bn is not the panacea for all our ills.”
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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
