News
SLPP rebels call for Bandara’s sacking for resumption of talks with President
Kiriella chides dissidents for dilly-dallying on impeachment move
Second group of govt. rebels critical of defection
SLPP’s move to win over rebel MP Navaratne fails
By Shamindra Ferdinando
National Freedom Front (NFF) leader Wimal Weerawansa ha emphasised that the 11-party dissident group wouldn’t return to the negotiating table until President Gotabaya Rajapaksa sacked newly appointed State Minister Shantha Bandara.
The former Industries Minister said so yesterday (17) in response to The Island query whether the indefinitely postponed second round of talks with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa could be resumed early this year.
The dissident group has been engaged in talks with Opposition political parties in support of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s call for the establishment of an interim administration as part of the overall measures to restore political stability.
MP Weerawansa ruled out resumption of talks with the President unless he was ready to rectify the wrongdoing.
The dissident group called off a meeting scheduled to take place at the Janadhipathi Mandiraya at 7 pm on 12 April after Shantha Bandara was sworn in as the State Minister for Agriculture. The first round of talks took place on 10 April also at the same venue.
The rebel group comprises Democratic Left Front, the Lanka Sama Samaja Pakshaya, the Communist Party of Sri Lanka, the National Freedom Front, the National Congress, the Pivithuru Hela Urumaya the Sri Lanka Mahajana Pakshaya, the Vijaya Dharani Jathika Sabhawa, the Eksath Mahajana Pakshaya and the Yuthukama civil society organisation. The group consists of about 30 members.
MP Anura Priyadarshana Yapa alleged that the government’s failure to address issues at hand had prompted another group of SLPP members to rebel against the ruling coalition. Declaring they had no intention of betraying the government by joining what he called the Opposition political project, MP Yapa said that the government shouldn’t have engineered Shantha Bandara’s defection.
Responding to another query, Yapa said that second rebel group comprised 11 members at the moment though there was a likelihood of more joining them.
Yapa said that though there hadn’t been formal talks between the group consisting of 11 parties and those in the second dissident faction, both groups largely represented the same interests. Pointing out that the existence of the second group had been officially announced in Parliament, Yapa said that they would continue to pursue a campaign of their own to pressure the government. Lawmaker Yapa, who is also the Chairman of the Committee on Public Finance (CoPF) described Shantha Bandara’s defection as an outdated political strategy simply irrelevant at the present juncture.
Former General Secretary of the Communist Party D.E.W. Gunasekera yesterday warned the government that the rapidly developing crisis couldn’t be resolved by engineering defections. The former Minister agreed with MP Yapa’s assertion that such strategies were obsolete and even counterproductive.
Gunasekera said that the 11 party group had expressed concerns over Shantha Bandara’s defection. Declaring that whoever engineered the defection, it didn’t help the President’s efforts to defuse the political crisis. According to the former minister, an extremely ill-timed move jeopardized the government ahead of forthcoming talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) meant to obtain the much needed assistance to overcome the financial crisis.
Gunasekera emphasized that the government couldn’t have been unaware of the implications of the decision to announce the suspension of debt repayments pending talks with the IMF. The former Minister asked, “Wouldn’t it have been much better to make the announcement having obtained the IMF’s consent in that regard?”
The CP veteran questioned the alleged bid to win over rebel group member Asanka Navaratne through devious means. Gunasekera alleged that a National List MP and another first time MP accompanied by the Chairman of a state enterprise had been to MP Navaratne’s Kurunegala residence where they offered the rebel a ministerial portfolio on behalf of the SLPP founder Basil Rajapaksa.
The targeted MP has declined the offer and brought the incident to the attention of the rebel group.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has denied any knowledge of the move when the rebel group sought his position on the latest backdoor attempt. Gunasekera said that the President’s claim of not being involved in the failed defection should be examined against the backdrop of Shantha Bandara receiving a state ministerial portfolio.
Gunasekera said that there were half a dozen SLPP lawmakers closely watching the situation. “They are contemplating siding with the rebels and that may result in the government even losing its simple majority in Parliament,” the former Minister said.
Meanwhile, the Chief Opposition Whip Lakshaman Kiriella yesterday told The Island that the rebels including the so called second dissident group couldn’t under any circumstances refuse to sign a petition seeking to impeach President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. “We don’t want to hear any more excuses. What we need is their backing to impeach the President. The dissidents cannot drag their feet over the impeachment move, especially against the backdrop of Shantha Bandara’s defection,” lawmaker Kiriella declared.
Asked whether the Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) move had received the backing of the entire Opposition, MP Kiriella said that there was absolutely no issue with regard to their support, the issue at hand was the delaying tactics adopted by those who declared intention to operate as independent groups in the Parliament.
The SJB needs 113 signatures for the impeachment move against the President to be a reality.
Responding to questions, MP Kiriella said that they were hoping to present an amendment to do away with the executive presidency and also exploring ways and means of securing consensus on the re-enactment of provisions in the 19th Amendment to the Constitution by way of a 21st Amendment.
Lawmaker Gammanpila said that President Rajapaksa’s response to the political crisis and the ongoing public protest campaign opposite the Presidential Secretariat demanding his resignation seemed quite inadequate. Gammanpila declared that Shantha Bandara’s defection increased pressure on the government struggling to cope up with the ongoing protest campaign.
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
