News
Speaker’s ruling raises heat
By Saman Indrajith
Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena informed the House yesterday (24) that the privilege of making special statements on matters of urgent public interest would be available to only one leader of recognised political parties including the leader of the Opposition as per the provisions of the Standing Orders.
MP Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam was the leader of AITC but he could not be permitted to make a statement as the matter was sub judice, the Speaker said.
NPP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake said that they disagreed with the ruling of the Speaker. “We have been in this parliament for a long time and know of instances where the Speakers permitted party leaders to make special statements on issues of national importance and raise questions without any restrictions. I would like to know how you impose this restriction without even discussing with the party leaders.
The government sits on the right. The opposition sits on the left. The speaker’s chair is in the middle. But you are leaning to the right side. Do not take this opportunity away from party leaders. There have been three sitting weeks. So far I have not availed myself of the opportunity to make a special statement. That does not mean I will abandon my right to avail the opportunity. I hope to raise this matter at the next party leaders’ meeting.”
Leader of the House Minister Dinesh Gunawardena said that not all parties in the Opposition had been allowed to make statements under the previous government. “We were not given that opportunity. The then Opposition got all the days for themselves without leaving us any. Besides, the matter with regard to MP Ponnambalam was different. It is not permitted because it is sub judice. MP Dissanayake’s observations are on a different matter.”
TNA MP M. A. Sumanthiran: There is nothing sub judice in this matter. There is nothing before any court pending over the matter. The Speaker has no discretion to make such a ruling.
AITC MP Ponnambalam: Please allow me to make this statement. Either allow me to make the statement or suspend sittings so that we could have a party leaders’ meeting.
Leader of the House Minister Gunawardena: The Speaker has given a ruling. This matter cannot be raised, today. The party leaders meet on Friday and we can discuss the matter there.
Chief Opposition Whip Lakshman Kiriella: The case in question is over. Someone has misled the Speaker.
SJB MP Harin Fernando: I bring to the notice of the Speaker the Standing Order 27.2. There is no restriction on the number of speeches made by party leaders. There is no reference stipulating the number of speeches.
Leader of the House Minister Gunawardena: The Speaker has given a ruling. If the Opposition is willing to allow him to make a statement then there is no problem. We have no intention of depriving MP Ponnambalam of his right. The party leaders are meeting tomorrow, we can decide it there. Otherwise, we have the option to put it to the House. We are ready. Put it to the House.
Justice Minister Ali Sabry: Standing Order 76.1 has clearly provided for an occasion like this. It says the Speaker in Parliament and the Chair in any committee shall be responsible for the observance of the rules of order in Parliament and Committee respectively and their decision upon any point of order shall not be open to appeal and shall not be reviewed by Parliament except upon a substantive motion made after notice. You as the Speaker have given a ruling. They could bring in a substantive motion to put the matter before the House. Otherwise, you review it at the party leaders’ meeting.
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
