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Sri Lanka Press Institute marks five years of Right to Information
Disappointment expressed about about paucity of RTI use against private entities
The Sri Lanka Press Institute (SLPI) Monday organized an online panel discussion titled ‘A Law that Worked for Citizens: Five Years of Right to Information in Sri Lanka’ to commemorate the International Day for Universal Access to Information (IDUAI) which falls on September 28.
The discussion was joined by an eminent group of panelists led by the RTI Commission of Sri Lanka Commissioner Ms. Kishali Pinto Jayawardena, Julius & Creasy Senior Counsel Ms. Prashanthi Mahindaratne, and Technology, Media and Communications Law Legal Consultant/ Research Fellow Ms. Ashwini Natesan, while the panel was moderated by Attorney-at-Law and former Sri Lanka Ambassador to Saudi Arabia: Mr. Javid Yusuf.
Setting the stage to the discussion, Mr. Yusuf stated: “In the current times, we are very much focused on the rights of the citizens. The citizen’s participation in democracy, how best citizens can get involved in democracy on almost day to day basis, because unlike in the past where people voted at an election and forgot about it till the next election, there is an increasing consciousness among people that they cannot afford to do that any longer. They have to be present, they have to participate in democracy. And one of the tools for this, if used effectively, is the Right to Information law in Sri Lanka.”
Giving several examples where the RTI Act has been used by the public to challenge the status quo, Kishali Pinto-Jayawardena commented: “While citizens have been proactive in the use of RTI, one disappointing factor is the use of RTI against private entities has not been as strong as against state entities. The citizens of Sri Lanka have done quite a lot in the past five years using the RTI Act to improve their community.”
Adding to the conversation, Ms. Prashanthi Mahindaratne noted: “The RTI law is a bridge that would enable the Government as well as the citizens to traverse towards the achievement of SDGs. But while the public authorities or the citizens fail to take follow up action utilizing the disclosed information it may remain a bridge uncrossed. This is perhaps reflected in the fact that while the RTI law has resulted in better transparency in the conduct of public functionaries, there does not appear to be discernible impact on the corruption indices.”
This comment was made discussing the core findings from a research project conducted by the RTI Commission supported by the Swiss Government to analyze the use of the RTI law in the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Ms. Ashwini Natesan emphasized the progress made via RTI stating: “It’s important to stress that when we talk about transparency, we should also be mindful that proactive disclosures constitute a huge part of increased transparency. However, we’re only looking at reactive disclosures. The RTI legislation was operationalised in Sri Lanka on 2017 and during a relatively short span it shows promise of transparency, accountability and better governance but we still do have a long way to go.”
This online event also marked the release of three books published by the Media Reform Lanka Initiative titled: “A Practitioner’s Guide to Orders of the Right to Information Commission of Sri Lanka (2017-2021)”; “Sri Lanka’s Right to Information Regime and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals:Thoughts For Reflection”; and “Legal Commentaries to Selected Orders of the Right to Information Commission of Sri Lanka; 2019 – 2021”, edited by Ms. Kishali Pinto-Jayawardena, Ms. Nivedha Jeyaseelan, and Ms. Inshira Faliq.
The panel discussion conducted in all three languages was virtually witnessed by journalists and other professionals from various fields and was live streamed on Facebook for the general public. It was followed by an engaging question and answer session where questions of a broad spectrum regarding the use of RTI was directed towards the panelists.
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
