News
SLPP MPs urged not to protect Health Minister
By Shamindra Ferdinando
The rebel SLPP group yesterday (04) urged the ruling SLPP not to protect Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella at the vote on no-faith motion against the Kandy District lawmaker.
Secretary General of Parliament Kushani Rohanadeera said the vote would be held on Friday (08) following a three-day debate, commencing on Wednesday (06).
SLPP National List MP Prof. G. L. Peiris, on behalf of the dissident group, warned that those who voted against the motion would have to face drastic consequences.
The rebel group consists of 12 MPs.
The main Opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) moved the no-confidence motion against the failure on the part of Minister Rambukwella to halt the deterioration of the public health sector. The SJB won 54 seats at the last general election, though about four switched their allegiance to the government since then.
Addressing the media at the Nawala Office of Nidahasa Janatha Sabhawa, Prof. Peiris said the motion couldn’t be carried through without the backing of the SLPP parliamentary group, still the largest in Parliament, regardless of over 20 members quitting the government.
Rambukwella contested the Kandy electoral district on the SLPP ticket. Pointing out that the head of the National Medical Regulatory Authority (NMRA) Prof. Jayaratne publicly acknowledged the continuing crisis in the health sector, including the importation of inferior quality medicines, the former External Affairs Minister asked whether the SLPP was ready to pay the price for Minister Rambukwella’s misdeeds.
Prof. Peiris dealt with several other issues, including the possibility of the Wickremesinghe-Rajapaksa contemplating putting off presidential elections that are statutorily due October next year and pressure being exerted on the judiciary.
At the commencement of the briefing, the academic asserted that President Ranil Wickremesinghe couldn’t put off the presidential election, too, the way he deferred both Provincial Councils and Local Government polls. Referring to concerns expressed over the Referendum called by the then President J.R. Jayewardene soon after winning the 1982 presidential election, Prof. Peiris explained that was to ask the electorate whether to extend the life of Parliament by six more years.
Prof. Peiris said that by late July or early Aug., 2024, the presidential election process should get underway leading to nominations in Sept., elections in Oct., and new President in office in early Nov.
The SLPP elected UNP leader Wickremesinghe in July last year to complete the remainder of Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s five-year term, secured at the Nov. 2019 presidential election.
Regardless of bombastic declarations made by President Wickremesinghe and some members of his government, they feared the electorate, Prof Peiris said. There couldn’t be any other explanation for refusal to conduct Local Government polls months after the Supreme Court issued specific instructions to the relevant authorities in that regard.
Prof. Peiris explained how President Wickremesinghe relentlessly put pressure on the judiciary to reign in judges while issuing warnings to those who declined to toe the government line. The former Law Professor alleged that Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena played a central role in the despicable government project, directed at the judiciary. During the briefing, Prof. Peiris made reference to instances of controversial statements made by the President at Nuwara Eliya and at the Sri Lanka Foundation to justify criticism of Wickremesinghe’s actions.
Condemning the sharp increase of both petrol and diesel prices from Aug. 31 at a time the CPC was making huge profits, Prof. Peiris said that the increase of LP gas on Monday (04) would drive up the cost of living further. Accusing the government of being insensitive to the public woes, the former minister said that waste, corruption, irregularities and mismanagement continued unabated at every level.
There couldn’t be a better example than the crisis in the health sector to prove how corruption could destroy a vital service, Prof. Peiris said, pointing out the government never inquired about a spate of serious allegations made by the health professionals. Interested parties exploited the procurement process to their heart’s content while low quality medicine, discarded drugs and continuing shortage of life-saving drugs plunged the health sector to an unprecedented crisis situation.
The ex-minister declared that the damages caused to the public health sector were irreparable and those responsible should be punished, regardless of their social standing. Declaring that food security was cause for serious concern, Prof. Peiris said that the health crisis was far worse as unlike food, people couldn’t forgo medicine.
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
