News
UNP Gen. Secy. alleges SJB, section of TNA supporting Basil
Rasamanickam questions Ranil’s pact with Rajapaksas
By Shamindra Ferdinando
UNP General Secretary Palitha Range Bandara has accused Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) leader Sajith Premadasa of supporting the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) on the sly.
Former lawmaker Bandara alleged that Premadasa, the serving Opposition Leader, was supporting SLPP founder Basil Rajapaksa, MP, though he publicly attacked the ruling coalition.
The UNPer alleged that Premadasa was simultaneously functioning as the Opposition Leader and Basil Rajapaksa’s protector. Having failed to retain his Puttalam district seat at the last parliamentary election in August 2020, Bandara received the post of UNP General Secretary in January 2021.
One-time State Minister for Irrigation and Water Resource Management Bandara said so at a recent meeting held at ‘Sirikotha,’ where he also alleged TNA lawmakers, M.A. Sumanthiran and Shanakiyan Rasamanickam of taking a stand supportive of Basil Rajapaksa.
MPs Premadasa, Sumanthiran and Rasamanickam opposed the proposed 21 Amendment to the Constitution in line with Basil Rajapaksa’s strategy, the top UNP official said.
Declaring that MP Premadasa should have unconditionally backed the 21st Amendment, if he genuinely loved the country, Bandara alleged the SJB leader was working overtime to sabotage the ongoing efforts to reach a consensus on the proposed amendment.
The former policeman said that MPs Sumanthiran and Rasamanickam opposed the 21st Amendment, though the TNA backed the current initiative. Claiming that the proposed amendment was much stronger than the 19th amendment enacted in 2015, Bandara alleged that the likes of Premadasa, Sumanthiran and Rasamanickam wanted to retain executive powers.
The UNPer said that the 21 st Amendment reflected the ‘Gota Go Home’ sentiments. According to him, SJB leader’s opposition to the 21 Amendment couldn’t be justified under any circumstances as it drastically reduced executive powers and strengthened anti-corruption efforts.
The UNP General Secretary alleged that the SJB leader appeased the Rajapaksas primarily for two major reasons. The ex-MP claimed that the Premadasas were eternally grateful for the Rajapaksas for blocking investigations after the arrest of Dulanjali Premadasa allegedly with forged Rupee currency notes amounting to Rs 20 mn.
The former law enforcement officer said that a person who had been arrested with forged 100 Rupee currency notes faced a jail term whereas the detection of Rs 20 mn worth forged currency notes hadn’t been at least investigated.
Bandara alleged that the Rajapaksas also stymied investigation into the alleged misappropriation of Rs 11 bn belonging to the Central Cultural Funds during the 2015-2019 yahapalana administration. Bandara served as State Minister during that period.
The former State Minister appealed for public support to sustain Premier Ranil Wickremesinghe’s untiring efforts to restore political stability. The UNP General Secretary said that the economy couldn’t be revived unless agreement was reached on a political settlement. According to him, the 21 Amendment was the key to political consensus, the ex-MP asserted. Therefore, all should set aside political differences and work towards achieving political stability, the UNP General Secretary said.
Lawmaker Rasamanickam said that the UNP General Secretary should direct his accusations at Ranil Wickremesinghe.
The TNA MP questioned the rationale of a section of the TNA being accused of cooperating with the Rajapaksas while the UNP leader now served the ruling coalition as its Prime Minister.
MP Rasamanickam said that Bandara had conveniently forgotten how the politically insolvent UNP with just one National List slot in Parliament accepted the premiership. The UNP should be ashamed of falling prey to the Rajapaksas as they were struggling to cope up with the growing public anger over ruination of the economy, MP Rasamanickam said.
Responding to another query, the Batticaloa District MP said that actually the Premier should be called Ranil Rajapaksa as he was the saviour of the notorious Rajapaksa brothers.
Rasamanickam also declared that Ranil Rajapaksa was the fifth Rajapaksa brother and now only second to Gotabaya.
Rasamanickam recalled how the TNA had intervened when President Maithripala Sirisena staged the constitutional coup in Oct 2018. Bandara appeared to have forgotten how the TNA fought for sacked Premier Wickremesinghe as the party stood for the people’s right.
MP Rasaminckam said that the UNP couldn’t deceive the masses by making unsubstantiated allegations. How could a one-seat party cover-up its shameless pact with the Rajapaksas that enabled Gotabaya Rajapaksa to save his presidency for the time being.
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
