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Speaker says courts have no jurisdiction as regards DDR resolution passed by Parliament
By Saman Indrajith
Speaker Mahinda Abeywardena, giving a ruling on parliamentary privileges yesterday, said that courts had no jurisdiction to intervene in the domestic debt restructuring resolution that had been passed in Parliament.
Speaker Abeywardena said that no court established under the Constitution of Sri Lanka was empowered to issue orders or judgments of any nature against a resolution already passed by Parliament.
The Speaker gave this ruling in response to a privilege issue raised on Tuesday by Minister Harin Fernando, who requested the Speaker to deliver a ruling on whether the petitions already filed in court against the resolution on domestic debt restructuring was a violation of the privileges of MPs and the legislature itself.
The Speaker said: “Article 4 (C) of the Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka provides that ‘the judicial power of the People shall be exercised by Parliament through courts, tribunals and institutions created and established, or recognized, by the Constitution, or created and established by law, except in regard to matters relating to the privileges, immunities and powers of Parliament and of its Members, wherein the judicial power of the People may be exercised directly by Parliament according to law.’
“I also emphasise that according to Article 148 of the Constitution Parliament shall have full control over public finance. No tax, rate or any other levy shall be imposed by any local authority or any other public authority, except by or under the authority of a law passed by Parliament or of any existing law.
“I wish to announce firstly, that the Cabinet of Ministers unanimously approved the Domestic Debt Optimization programme proposed by the Ministry of Finance, Economic Stabilization and National Policies at a special Cabinet meeting held on 28.06.2023. Afterwards the resolution for the implementation of the Domestic Debt Optimization to restore sovereign debt sustainability was approved by the Committee on Public Finance of the Parliament by a majority of Committee Members at the Committee meeting held on 30th June 2023.
“Thereafter as the subject matter contained in the said resolution is essentially a matter of public finance, the Resolution for the implementation of the Domestic Debt Optimization to restore sovereign debt sustainability, was passed by a majority vote in Parliament on the 01st of July 2023 with 122 Members voting in favor and 62 against.
“As the resolution for the implementation of the Domestic Debt Optimization to restore sovereign debt sustainability has now been passed by Parliament on 01.07.2023, the resolution is beyond the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court or any other court established under the 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka and cannot be questioned and/or reviewed and/or challenged.
“The ruling given on 20th June 2001 by the Anura Bandaranaike, Speaker of Parliament held in unequivocal terms that Parliamentary proceedings cannot be called into question and/or interfered and/or intervened by the Courts and held that the Supreme Court had no jurisdiction to issue the interim orders restraining the Speaker of Parliament in respect of the steps he is empowered to take under Standing Order 78A; and the interim order of the Supreme Court is not binding and of no legal obligation to comply.
“Hence, no court established under the Constitution of Sri Lanka is empowered, to issue orders or judgments of any nature against a resolution, already passed by Parliament having followed the due Parliamentary process, and any such order or judgment of courts would amount to a violation of item 01 of Part B of Parliament (Powers & Privileges) Act, No. 21 of 1953 (As amended).”
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
