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SLFP won’t give in to SLPP dictates – Sirisena

Dayasiri asks Namal aspiring to higher office to learn from his father
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Having declared in Hambantota over the weekend that SLFP wouldn’t give up its ongoing political campaign under any circumstances, SLFP General Secretary Dayasiri Jayasekera told The Island yesterday (16) the revamping of the party was on track amidst ongoing disputes with the SLPP. Lawmaker Jayasekera emphasized their drive wouldn’t be reversed regardless of the consequences.
State Minister Jayasekera pointed out that former President and the SLPP leader Maithripala Sirisena, in his address to the Hambantota District convention at the Anugakolapalessa town hall stated that the SLFP wouldn’t keep quiet in spite of SLPP’s pressure. The former President, senior SLFPer cabinet minister Mahinda Amaraweera and State Minister Dayasiri Jayasekera declared in unison their determination to face the SLPP challenge.
Minister Amaraweera told the Hambantota convention that they had a right to take up issues both at cabinet level and directly with the people. The Minister said that no one could interfere with that right.
MP Jayasekera said that they were in serious conflict with the SLPP, the main constituent of the ruling coalition over the latter’s handling of political issues as well as a range of other developments such as fertilizer and debt servicing crises.
The SLFP parliamentary group comprises 14 members, including one National List MP Dr. Suren Raghavan. Altogether, the SLPP led government parliamentary group consists of 145 members. Of them, 117 have been elected on the SLPP ticket and appointed on its National List.
Kurunegala District lawmaker said as he pointed out at the Hambantota convention that Minister Namal Rajapaksa should realize the SLPP couldn’t achieve future political targets without the SLFP’s backing. Pointing out that recently Minister Namal Rajapaksa aspiring to be the next leader asked the SLFP to leave the government, State Minister Jayasekera emphasized that Premier Mahinda Rajapaksa never said so. The former President and incumbent Premier addressed internal issues tactfully.
Former Minister Jayasekesa said that the SLPP leadership quite conveniently had forgotten their candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa couldn’t have obtained 6.9 mn votes at the last presidential election without the SLFP’s backing. “They had about five mn votes. The remaining 1.9 were SLFPers,” MP Jayasekera said, adding that the ruling coalition couldn’t have secured as many as 145 seats if the SLFP didn’t contest on the SLPP ticket.
The SLFP General Secretary said that the party held conventions in most of the district. We’ll be having conventions in Moneragala, Colombo, Gampaha, Batticaloa, Ampara, Trincomalee, Vavuniya, Jaffna and Polonnaruwa in the coming months.”
Lawmaker Jayasekera said that the SLPP couldn’t expect the SLFP to simply toe the line. Minister Namal Rajapaksa aspiring to be future PM and President shouldn’t repeat fellow members’ ludicrous response to constituents taking a stand contrary to that of the SLPP on a particular issue. State Minister said that the SLFP unhesitatingly backed Ministers Vasudeva Nanayakkara, Wimal Weeawansa and Udaya Gammanpila on the Yugadanavi issue as there was general consensus regarding the manipulation of cabinet procedures in authorizing the agreement. “We’ll not back down,” MP Jayasekera said.
Responding to another query, lawmaker Jayasekera said that the government would have done a lot better if the top leadership ensured proper dialogue among constituents. Unfortunately, there hadn’t been a proper mechanism to discuss contentious matters though the SLPP repeatedly claimed issues could have been dealt at cabinet level or at the parliamentary group.
The SLPP’s strategies resulted in the rapid deterioration of the government. The State Minister pointed out how the government (SLPP) put off Local Government polls scheduled for March 2022 to the following year without consulting other political parties. Had the SLPP followed basic principles in a coalition government, the government wouldn’t have been in crisis today, the MP said.
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US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development

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.”
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Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees

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.
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CIPM successfully concludes 8th Annual Symposium

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.