News
UNP ‘NL imbroglio’ continues, resignation of Gen. Secy makes matters worse
By Shamindra Ferdinando
The filling of the solitary UNP National List vacancy is likely to be further delayed due to the recent resignation of its General Secretary Akila Viraj Kariyawasam.
Sirikotha sources yesterday told The Island that in terms of the UNP Constitution the appointment of the General Secretary was solely the prerogative of the leader contrary to the belief that it required Working Committee approval.
Responding to another query, sources pointed out that as only the General Secretary is constitutionally authorized to notify the Election Commission (EC) of the appointment of NL members, recent resignation of Kariyawasam caused an additional issue.
When The Island sought an explanation from former minister Kariyawasam as regards his sudden decision to quit the post of General Secretary ahead of the NL appointment, the UNPer emphasized that he wanted to quit the post even before the last parliamentary election in August. The unsuccessful Kurunegala district candidate said that he would continue to work with the party regardless of his resignation.
Of the 225 MPs, 29 are appointed through the National List. The UNP and Ape Janabala Pakshaya are yet to appoint their NL slots of one each.
Well informed sources said that former minister Arjuna Ranatunga recently recommended UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe as their best option to fill the vacant NL seat after the resignation of Kariyawasam. In the previous parliament, the UNP group comprised 106 lawmakers whereas Ape Janabala Pakshaya hadn’t been represented in parliament before.
The breakaway UNP faction registered as the Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) said that the UNP should name its NL member without further delay. SJB NL MP Mayantha Dissanayake told The Island that the current leadership should accept responsibility for its failure to resolve the NL issue before the vote on the 20th Amendment to the Constitution. MP Dissanayake questioned whether the delay in filling the vacancy was deliberate. “In the case of the UNP, the strength of the parliamentary group is immaterial. The leadership should have ensured the participation of the UNP at the debate over the 20th Amendment as well as the 2021 budget debate,” lawmaker Dissanayake said.
Responding to several other queries, MP Dissanayake emphasized that his personal opinion was that Sajith Premadasa was the most suitable person to take over the UNP. Declining to recommend who should be the UNP NL member, lawmaker Dissanayake said that should be the prerogative of the party. However, the SJB would find it comfortable to initiate unification talks once the UNP picked its new leadership.
The SJB won 54 seats, including seven NL slots at the last election. Lawmaker Dissanayake said that his father the late Gamini Dissanayake and SJB leader Sajith Premadasa’s father the late Ranasinghe Premadasa perished in LTTE terrorism. “Our party was mercilessly targeted over the years. We survived. Current crises shouldn’t be allowed to destroy Sri Lanka’s foremost registered political party.”
MP Mayantha Dissanayake’s brother Navin, another defeated candidate, remains with the UNP. The SJB spokesman stressed that their party basically followed UNP policies and remained committed steadfastly to what he called sound UNP political strategy.
The Island also raised the issue with lawyer Nimal Punchihewa, widely expected to receive the appointment as the Chairman of the EC. Punchihewa, long standing member of the Human Rights Commission said that there were several issues to be tackled. Punchihewa said that those issues could be discussed following the formalization of the EC. He however acknowledged that the current law didn’t make it mandatory for filling of the NL vacancies. Similarly, vacancies at Local Government bodies, too, could remain vacant indefinitely in the absence of required provision in the law pertaining to LG authorities. Punchihewa assured that once finalized, the EC would take appropriate action to address issues at hand.
Warring Ape Janabala Pakshaya factions hadn’t been able to resolve their differences, political sources said, adding that former MP Ven. Athureliye Rathana and Ven. Galagodaatte Gnanasara remained at loggerheads over the party NL slot. Ven. Rathana unsuccessfully contested the Gampaha district whereas the Kurunegala list containing Ven Gnanasara was rejected on technical grounds.
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
