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SLPP breakaways vow never to work with Rajapaksas again
By Rathindra Kuruwita
The independent group of MPs who broke away from the SLPP a few months ago and are to form a new coalition on Sunday would never work with the Rajapaksas again, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Sri Lanka Dr. G. Weerasinghe said.
“Rajapaksas do not have any place in our politics hereafter,” he said.
According to Dr. Weerasinghe the coalition to be formed will go flat out to capture power. The coalition will start an outreach campaign immediately and will educate the people on their policies before the next election, he said.
“We already have a policy document,” he said.
“These are all SLPP constituents. Actually, we came together during the debate on the 20th amendment. This was one of the first activities of the Gotabaya Rajapaksa government. The CPSL believed that the 19th amendment should not be changed significantly. We wrote to the President saying that apart from changing the provision which prevented the President from holding any post, the 19A must not be tinkered greatly. The other changes that the President wanted should be introduced via a new constitution. During the internal discussions we found that these other parties too were not happy about 20A”, he said.
The CPSL General Secretary added that the same parties agreed on the economic and political deterioration under the Rajapaksa administration. When Ministers Wimal Weerawansa, Udaya Gammanpila and Vasudeva Nanayakkara took up these issues they were told that Basil Rajapaksa would look after the economy and others didn’t have to worry about it, Dr. Weerasinghe said.
“Then we held an event in March and put forth a set of proposals called “Mulu ratama, hari magata” (Let’stake the country down the right path.) We presented that to the government and the country. Wimal and Udaya were sacked as ministers the following day itself. We also came together over the Kotelawala Defence University issue as we opposed the decision to create parallel education systems”, he said.
The Aragalaya movement came about because Gotabaya Rajapaksa didn’t listen to their proposal to establish an all-party interim government, Dr. Weerasinghe said.
“The plan was to stabilise the country with the support of all and go for an election within a year. The SLFP agreed and if there a genuine effort had been made even the Opposition would have come on board. However, Gotabaya acted slowly and the Aragalaya grew in strength. After the attacks on protesters on 09 May, it was obvious that Gotabaya wouldn’t be able to establish an all-party interim government.
“Then Ranil came to power in July. When this was happening, we were in the opposition as an independent group”, he said.
There is no longer a point in remaining an independent group, he said. These parties agree on economic policy. The parties agree that the country is facing this catastrophe because of the disastrous polices we have been following in the last four decades, he said.
“We oppose neo-liberal economic policies. We have become an importing economy. We have deindustrialized. How do we industrialise again? We have a common understanding. We also have an agreement on the way forward.
We agree that we have to work with the world, but in the long term, we have to resolve this crisis on our own, “he said.
The alliance is a coalition of leftist, progressive and anti-imperialist elements, he added. The CPSL General Secretary said. “These are natural allies”, he said.
Dr. Weerasinghe said that there were objective and subjective reasons for a political formulation. The coalition in the offing would not be limited to these parties alone, he said.
“When Dullas Alahapperuma contested as the Presidential candidate, we voted for him. Now, they have come to the opposition. Hopefully, they will start their own political party and that will be the time when we start holding discussions with them”, he said.
Dr. Weerasinghe said that in the coalition to be formed all parties will have equal power where decision-making was concerned. In past coalitions, one dominant party held 51% of executive committee seats, which allowed them to bulldoze others. “So, this is a democratic alliance. We also have agreed on a policy manifesto. We will sign this on Sunday, “he said.
The CPSL General Secretary said that they were also open to discussions with the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) and Frontline Socialist Party (FSP).
“The FSP might have a different strategy at the moment. The JVP of course are framing themselves as a serious force to win power. Only time will tell us and might give us the opportunity to work together. We are for a broader alliance, which should give an alternative path to the current economic policies”, he said.
The group includes former SLPP ministers Vasudeva Nanayakkara (Democratic Left Front), Wimal Weerawansa (Jathika Nidahas Peramuna) and Udaya Gammanpila (Pivithuru Hela Urumaya).
The new alliance will be launched at the National Youth Services Council, Maharagama, at 3 pm on Sunday with the participation of rebel members. The CP, LSSP and Yuthukama Jathika Sanvidhanaya, too, are members of the coalition.
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
