News
Speaker: PCoI cannot summon COPE Chairman or members over probes they undertake
By Saman Indrajith
Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena yesterday told Parliament that a presidential investigation commission could not summon a chairman or members of parliamentary watchdog committee – COPE (Committee on Public Enterprises) and question them on matters pertaining to investigations undertaken by it.
He said so in response to a privilege matter raised by JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake on Presidential Commission investigating Batticaloa Campus Ltd summoning former COPE Chairman Sunil Handunnetti before it.
MP Dissanayake
said: “I draw your attention to the Section 17 of the Parliament Powers and Privileges Act. The Section states that no member or officer of Parliament and no shorthand Writer employed to take minutes of evidence before the House or any committee shall give evidence elsewhere in respect of the contents of such evidence or of the contents of any manuscript or document laid before Parliament or any committee or in respect of any proceedings or examination had at the Bar or before any committee of Parliament without the special leave of Parliament first had and obtained. Now, former President of the COPE, Sunil Handunnetti has been summoned by a letter dated Aug 21, 2020 to appear before the Presidential Investigation Commission. He has been ordered to appear before the commission to give evidence on his functions as President of the COPE which investigated the Batticaloa Campus Pvt Ltd and the matters pertaining to that. I want to know whether the Presidential Investigation Commission has obtained your permission to summon Handunnetti. The commission cannot question anyone involved in the COPE investigation without prior approval of the Speaker or Parliament.
Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena: We will look into the matter and inform the House of that. I have not been informed of this yet.
Anura Kumara Dissanayake: Handunnetti has written to the Speaker on this matter. He has sent a letter to you.
Speaker Abeywardena:
We’ll send our response to the Commission.
Anura Kumara Dissanayake:
What sort of letter of response. We want to know its content.
Speaker Abeywardena:
If privileges are breached we would inform that to the commission.
Anura Kumara Dissanayake:
Let’s put aside the specific issue of Handunnetti. I want to know whether a Presidential Commission could summon COPE chairman or its members before the commission to question on what transpired during the COPE investigations.
Speaker Abeywardena: No, that cannot be done.
Anura Kumara Dissanayake: Then, do you accept that this letter sent by the presidential commission is wrong?
Speaker Abeywardena:
That I have to look into. I have not seen the letter yet so do not know its content. I have to go through it first before giving my ruling.
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
