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TISL reminds President of impending vacancies in Right to Information Commission
Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL) has called for the appointment of the new commissioners for the Right to Information (RTI) Commission in line with the procedures set out in the Right to Information Act No 12 of 2016.
A statement issued by the TISL said: The tenure of the Right to Information (RTI) Commission which is the central oversight and appellate body established under the Right to Information Act of Sri Lanka is set to expire in September this year. Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL) calls for the appointment of the new commissioners in line with the procedures set out in the Right to Information Act No 12 of 2016.
The RTI Commission is established under section 11 of the RTI Act which defines the constitution of the Commission, which consists of a chairperson and four members who serve a term of five years. Prior to the passing of the 20th Amendment to the Constitution, the appointments were made by the President upon the recommendations provided by the Constitutional Council.
However, the 20th Amendment changed the manner in which the RTI Commission is appointed. The Constitutional Council which is mentioned in the Act is no longer functional and has been replaced with the Parliamentary Council. Therefore, it is now up to the Parliamentary Council to obtain nominations from the Bar Association of Sri Lanka, organisations of publishers, editors and media persons and other civil society organisations to fill positions in the RTI Commission. The Parliamentary Council is expected to make observations to the President on who should be appointed to the RTI Commission, while the President’s duty to seek such observations is mandatory.
TISL hopes that the President would take these observations into serious consideration when making appointments for the RTI Commission, in keeping with the democratic process stipulated in the RTI Act of Sri Lanka.
Commenting on this, TISL Executive Director Nadishani Perera stated that “Over the Past 5 years the RTI Commission of Sri Lanka was able to deliver commendable decisions that protected the people’s right to information. They were able to do this because the RTI Commission acted in its capacity as an independent body. TISL hopes that the President will make the new appointments to the Commission in line with the provisions of the RTI Act, ensuring the independent nature of the Commission,”
Earlier TISL took steps to invite Civil Society Organisations in the country to join hands in fulfilling their role laid out in the RTI Act. The nominations by a number of Civil Society organisations including TISL for a position in the RTI Commission were compiled and handed over to the Parliamentary Council yesterday.
The RTI Commission can be considered to be a bridge that connects the state with the general populace. During its tenure the current RTI Commission provided progressive rulings from matters ranging from simple RTI requests on local development activities to more controversial issues such as an order to release the asset declarations of the former Prime Minister. These rulings are a testament to the independence of the commission and further proof of why the proper procedure laid out in the RTI Act should be followed when making appointments to the Commission.
TISL Executive Director Nadishani Perera also noted that “the background of the RTI Commissioners and the role that they play have a direct impact on the general public. If the appointed Commissioners are impartial, with no direct ties to politics, they would be able to dole out impartial rulings on behalf of the people. Therefore, it is also the responsibility of the general public to pay close attention to the nature of individuals appointed to the RTI Commission.”
The following names were submitted to the Parliamentary Council by TISL and other civil society organisations for consideration when selecting candidates for the RTI Commission: Dr. A.K.C.H. Priyangani Jayasundara, (Nominated by Safe Foundation), J. H. Nilmini Sunethra Kumari (Nominated by Child Vision Sri Lanka), P. Sai Balasubramaniam (Nominated by Peoples’ Development Foundation), Rev. Dr. Noel Dias (Nominated by Centre for Social Justice and Equity), D.M. Samantha Dassanayake ( Nominated by Centre for Human Rights and Community Development), Dr. Prathiba Mahanamahewa (Nominated by Caritas SED), Sampath Pushpakumara (Nominated by Families of the Disappeared), Nadarajah Sivaranjith (Nominated by NGO Consortium, Ampara), and Ainkaran Kugadasan (Nominated by Transparency International Sri Lanka).
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
