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Udaya to use RTI law to seek information about CIA Chief’s clandestine Colombo visit
By Shamindra Ferdinando
The US embassy declined to comment on Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (PHU) leader and Parliamentarian Udaya Gammanpila’s declaration of CIA Director William Joseph Burns top secret visit to Colombo on Feb. 14.
The Island raised this issue with the US embassy spokesperson twice on 15 Feb. and 06 March. On both occasions, the spokesperson stressed that the embassy wouldn’t comment on the issue at hand. She said: “As I mentioned earlier, we do not offer a comment on this topic.”
Colombo District lawmaker Gammanpila yesterday (10) told The Island that he would soon write to the Controller General of Immigration and Emigration, I. S. H. J. Ilukpitiya, about Burns’ visit. He said that in terms of the Right to Information Act, he would ask Illukpitiya whether Burns was among the US delegation that arrived in the country. The Immigration and Emigration comes under the purview of the Public Security Ministry.
Sri Lanka enacted the Right to Information (RTI) Act in 2016, during Wickremesinghe tenure as the Premier.Two C 17 Globemaster iii touched down at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) on 14 Feb., and departed the following day.
Pointing out that both the US embassy and the Wickremesinghe-Rajapaksa government could have simply contradicted his claim made outside Parliament, the refusal on the part of the US embassy to comment confirmed the accusation. The former Power and Energy Minister said that the Foreign Ministry and Presidential Media Division (PMD), too, evaded the issue at hand.
“Foreign Minister Ali Sabry’s acknowledgement in Parliament that he was not aware of the US delegation’s visit is quite shocking. However, the President’s Counsel could have checked this matter with his officials and briefed Parliament,” lawmaker Gammanpila said.
The government shouldn’t expect the Opposition to forget this issue, MP Gammanpila said, urging the government to admit the truth. The former minister noted that the CIA Chief visited Colombo in the aftermath of Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) Chief Samant Kumar Goel’s visit.
India’s external intelligence agency’s head held discussions with President Ranil Wickremesinghe. President’s Senior National Security Advisor Sagala Ratnayake and Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner in New Delhi Milinda Moragoda participated in the discussions.
Responding to The Island queries, National Freedom Front (NFF) leader and MP Wimal Weerawansa said that the government didn’t respond to issues raised by him in Parliament on 23 Feb., pertaining to the US high profile hush-hush visit. The government and the US embassy acknowledged the visit though they declined either to confirm or deny the CIA Chief’s visit.
The former minister said that the refusal on the part of the government and the US embassy to acknowledge the fact of the CIA Chief’s visit should be examined against the backdrop of United States Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, Victoria Nuland, flying to Colombo, in March last year, and February this year.
The then President Gotabaya Rajapaksa sacked both Weerawansa and Gammanpila, in early March 2022 after they moved the Supreme Court against th,e controversial Yugadanavi deal with US-based New Fortress Energy, signed on 17 Sept., 2022.
MP Weerawansa said that the government never responded to his disclosure pertaining to the CIA move on State Intelligence Service (SIS). The NFF leader said that the Parliament should be fully briefed on developments, particularly relating to foreign, defence and financial sectors. The former JVPer pointed out that contrary to repeated assurances given by the incumbent government, the Staff Level agreement, between the government and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), was yet to be tabled in Parliament.
Lawmaker Weerawansa alleged that President Wickremesinghe was pursuing US agenda, regardless of consequences. Those MPs who elected the UNP leader as the 8th President to complete the remainder of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s five year- term, too, should be held accountable.The SLPP elected Wickremesinghe. Both Weerawansa and Gammanpila said that foreign policy couldn’t be the prerogative of the executive.
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
