News
SLPP dissidents call for action against Finance Secy. for sabotaging LG polls
‘Constitution cannot be circumvented by a circular regardless who issued it’
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Top Nidahas Janatha Sandhanaya spokesperson Prof. G.L. Peiris said that Finance Secretary Mahinda Siriwardana would have to pay a very heavy price for sabotaging Local Government polls 2023 at the behest of President Ranil Wickremesinghe.
Addressing the media at Nawala, the former External Affairs Minister emphasised that the Finance Secretary couldn’t have under any circumstances blocked the release of required funds on the basis of a circular issued by President Wickremesinghe, in his capacity as the Finance Minister.
The Finance Secretary should abide by the Constitution, the former Law Professor said, adding that a circular couldn’t surpass Constitutional provisions pertaining to holding of elections or the conduct of a referendum.
Declaring that the Finance Secretary or any other public officer, including those employed at undertakings vested in the government as well as companies registered or deemed to be registered under the Companies Act, No. 7 of 2007, in which the Government or any public corporation or local authority holds fifty per centum or more of the shares of that company had to follow Article 104 GG of the Constitution and those found to be guilty of an offence were liable to a fine not exceeding Rs 100,000 or maximum three years imprisonment or both the fine and imprisonment.
Samagi Jana Balavegaya mayoral candidate for the Colombo Municipal Council Mujibur Rahuman has moved the Supreme Court seeking its intervention to conduct Local Government polls. Among 35 respondents were Finance Secretary Mahinda Siriwardana, Public Administration Secretary Neil Bandara Hapuhinna and the Attorney General.
Prof. Peiris vowed to go flat out against the Finance Secretary. The National List lawmaker said that the Finance Secretary couldn’t have declined to release the funds required by the Election Commission (EC) under any circumstances as the relevant allocation received the parliamentary approval. Prof. Peiris said that as much Rs 10 bn had been allocated for the EC through the 2023 budget. Therefore, there couldn’t have been any issue with regard to the releasing of funds, Prof. Peiris said. The academic questioned EC Chairman Nimal Punchihewa’s decision to seek Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena’s intervention in this regard.
“Once the parliament approved funds for a particular purpose, there is no point in seeking the Speaker’s intervention. The Finance Secretary and his political masters absolutely have no right to interfere with a decision taken by parliament,” Prof. Peiris said, adding that the EC needed just 0.68 of the total budget allocation for 2023. Actually, the total amount sought by the EC was equivalent to state sector expenditure for one and a half days, the former minister said.
Commenting on police attacks on Jathika Jana Balavegaya (JJB) protest rally in Colombo last Sunday (26), Prof.Peiris said that the Wickremesinghe-Rajapaksa government should be ashamed of itself for suppression of public dissent.
The former minister pointed out that in spite of indiscriminate water cannons and tear gas attack those who gathered in Colombo held their public rally.
Referring to President Wickremesinghe’s recent speech in parliament where the UNP leader declared that the allocation of funds for election would be subjected to availability of funds, Prof. Peiris asked how one person could decide on the public right to exercise their franchise. President Wickremes-inghe couldn’t deprive the electorate of what was guaranteed by the Constitution, the former Minister said, warning the government of further protests regardless of violent government reaction. For how long could they depend on the police and the military to clampdown on public protests? Prof. Peiris asked.
Prof. Peiris said that professionals representing both public and private sector up in arms over what one –time Deputy Finance Peiris called extremely imbalanced new tax regime.
Declaring their support for countrywide trade union action planned for March 01 to pressure the government to reverse new tax proposals, Prof. Peiris said warned the government would have to face the grave consequences of large scale protest campaign.
Prof. Peiris said that on one hand the President repeatedly claimed the government lacked the wherewithal to meet even the basic commitments and on the other hand the powers that be sought to cripple parliamentary watchdog committees tasked with ensuring transparency in public finance.
Prof. Peiris said that the recent appointment of an Opposition lawmaker of its choice as Chairperson of the Public Finance Commission revealed how desperately the government tried to undermine the vital watchdog committee. The rebel SLPP MP questioned as to how the ruling party picked Mayantha Dissanayake when the Opposition, in terms of the Standing Orders, named Dr.Harsha de Silva as Chairperson of the Public Finance Commission.
Amidst media furore over the new appointment, SJB MP Mayantha Dissanayake resigned on Monday.
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
