News
SLPP rebels seek external interventions as ruling party tightens grip undemocratically
allege sinister extra-parliamentary influences
The SLPP rebel group aka ‘Nidahas Janatha Sabhawa’ has complained to the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, the Inter-Parliamentary Union and the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation that time is not allocated for its members to speak in Parliament.
Prof. Peiris, Chairman of the SLPP yesterday raised the issue in parliament before releasing a copy of the letter sent to the above mentioned organisations. The signatories are (Prof.) G.L. Peiris, Dullas Alahapperuma, Dilan Perera, (Dr.) Nalaka Godahewa, (Prof.) Charitha Herath, (Prof.) Channa Jayasumana, K.P.S. Kumarasiri, Gunapala Rathnasekara, Udayana Kirindigoda, Wasantha Yapa Bandara, (Dr.) Upul Galappaththi, (Dr.) Thilak Rajapakshe and Lalith Ellawala.
The following is the text of the letter: “As you are aware, a deeply entrenched democratic tradition is one of the inherent strengths of our country. Sri Lanka is legitimately proud of its unbroken record in the exercise of the universal suffrage, of which our people have been beneficiaries even before our emergence as an independent nation. Voters of our country have assiduously safeguarded their right to change or re-elect governments at free and fair elections, regularly conducted in accordance with applicable laws.
An essential corollary of this right is the ability of Members of Parliament to attend meetings of the Legislature uninterruptedly and to participate freely in its proceedings, including the work of Committees which form an integral part of the legislative function. The diversity of opinion expressed in the Chamber in an atmosphere conducive to orderly interaction is, admittedly, an indispensable prerequisite for the proper performance of the legislative function.
It is in the context of these values, emphatically reaffirmed at the meeting of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association only a week ago in Halifax, Canada, that we bring to your attention some recent developments in our country, which give rise to acute concern.
The signatories to this letter are all Members of the current Parliament, and several among us have held important positions in the Sri Lankan State, including as Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Education, Health and Media and in leadership positions in crucial Parliamentary Committees dealing, inter alia, with control of public finance.
At the Parliamentary Elections of August 2020, at which we all played an active role with great commitment and dedication, our political party known as the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) secured 143 out of the total of 225 seats in Parliament and formed a strong administration. Unfortunately, a section of the leadership of the party grotesquely distorted the people’s mandate and ended up installing as the President of the Republic the leader of a humiliatingly defeated party, against whom we had campaigned with the utmost vigour at the Elections and secured overwhelming endorsement at the hands of the electorate.
A series of events without parallel in any part of the democratic world – which represent a cynical caricature of sound Parliamentary and democratic practice – culminated in our collective decision to constitute ourselves an independent Group within the ruling Party. The reasons for our decision to cross the floor were set out succinctly in Parliament by Emeritus Professor of Law, Dr. G. L. Peiris, former Foreign Minister of Sri Lanka, on 31st August.
The predicament now faced by us all is that we are deprived of any opportunity at all to speak in the Chamber of Parliament and to take part in the deliberations of Committees, as we have done in the past. Others who have resorted to similar action recently in their relations with the Party have been accorded entirely different treatment, establishing discrimination in a stark form.
Since we are now completely silenced in Parliament by a dictatorial fiat which infringes basic democratic norms, we are left with no option but to try to articulate our point of view on vital matters of contemporary national policy in the gardens of Parliament.This is, clearly, a violation of the privileges of Members of Parliament, protected by law, as well as a denial of the public’s right to make an impact on the proceedings of Parliament through the interventions of their elected representatives.
We would add, in fairness, that the President, the Prime Minister, and the Speaker, in response to repeated representations made by us, have candidly conceded the manifest unfairness of this situation. Regrettably, however, all attempts to offer redress have failed up to now. We attribute this tragic state of affairs to insidious extra-Parliamentary influences operating in direct contravention of the letter and spirit of the country’s Constitution.
In these circumstances, we respectfully exhort you and your Organisation to use your good offices and to do everything in your power to intervene appropriately, with a view to preserving the core democratic rights of our people and of their elected Parliamentary representatives.”
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
