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SLPP ally questions order to pay back wages of Dr. Shafi
By Shamindra Ferdinando
The National Freedom Front (NFF) says the ongoing investigations into Dr. Shafi Shahabdeen’s alleged involvement in Easter Sunday attackers and nonconseual sterilisation of women in Kurunegala had been seriously weakened by the government’s controversial decision to pay him back wages.
The Constituent party of the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) yesterday (20) called a special media conference at its Pitakotte party office to explain how the government had undermined multiple investigations, including one handled by the CID much to the dismay of the Easter Sunday victims and those sterilised against their wishes.
State Minister Jayantha Samaraweera flayed the Public Service Commission and the Health Ministry over the payment of back wages and reinstatement of Dr. Shahabdeen. However, Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella’s Office in a statement issued on Dec 17, at the onset of the controversy, stressed that Dr. Shahabdeen hadn’t been reinstated though the Director, Kurunegala Hospital was instructed to pay his back wages.
Lawmaker Samaraweera, who represents the six-member NFF parliamentary group, said that they were quite surprised the way attempts were being made to undermine the investigations taking place at a snail’s pace. The Kalutara District MP alleged that under the current dispensation, too, investigations were being handled in a shoddy manner. According to him, the then Health Secretary Wasantha Perera following an investigation conducted by the Director, Kurunegala Hospital had sent Dr. Shahabdeen on compulsory leave, instead of initiating a proper inquiry under the PSC. MP Samaraweera claimed that Dr. Shahabdeen had been sent on compulsory leave with a view to saving him and that had happened now.
Dr. Shahabdeen was granted bail in July 2019.
State Minister Samaraweera sought an explanation from law enforcement authorities regarding Dr. Shahabdeen’s alleged involvement with Easter Sunday terror attacks mastermind Zahran Hashim. The lawmaker claimed that Dr. Shahabdeen had been investigated for giving access to an associate of Zahran Hashim Rs 440 mn. The alleged connection came to light following an arrest made after the 2019 Easter Sunday blasts, the State Minister said.
Lawmaker Samaraweera said that the CID recorded statements from 601 Kurunegala women whereas 8,000 were believed to have been sterilized over a period of time.
Responding to allegations, the Health Ministry said that the Health Services Committee of the PSC on June 11, 2019 approved that Dr. Shahabdeen be sent on compulsory leave. This was in line with recommendations made by a six-member expert committee that inquired into sterilization of Sinhala women during Dr. Shahabdeen’s tenure at the Kurunegala hospital, the health ministry spokesperson said.
The expert committee, in an interim report dated January 20, 2020 that had been submitted to the PSC recommended he be placed further on compulsory leave to enable the continuation of the investigations, the ministry spokesperson said.
In spite of Dr. Shahabdeen being granted bail and repeated requests to relevant authorities to reinstate him the Health Services Committee of the PSC on Oct 12, 2020 recommended that he be continued to be placed on compulsory leave, the spokesperson said, adding that on Oct 27, 2020, Dr. Shahabdeen requested the PSC and the Health Secretary again that he be reinstated and paid back wages, the ministry official said.
Subsequent to that intervention, the Director of the Kurunegala Hospital had been directed to pay Dr. Shahabdeen’s back wages and also sought an explanation as to why the payment was not made earlier in terms of the relevant sections of the Establishment Code. Accordingly, the Health Ministry has issued necessary instructions for the payment of back wages though Dr. Shahabdeen hadn’t been reinstated.
State Minister Samaraweera attacked the decision on the part of the health ministry to call for an explanation from Director Kurunegala Hospital in that regard. The former JVPer accused the government of illegally influencing in Dr. Shahabeen’s case at a time the administration was under fire from the Catholic Church over the ham-fisted handling of the Easter Sunday case.
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
