News
Ven. Gnanasara vows to complete ‘job’ by next Feb. to satisfaction of all
Regardless of Sabry’s concerns, govt. going ahead with ‘One Country, One Law’ project
By Ifham Nizam and Shamindra Ferdinando
No sooner had Justice Minister Ali Sabry, PC, indicated his intention to quit his Cabinet portfolio over the appointment of BBS General Secretary Ven. Galagodaatte Gnanasara as Chairman of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) to spearhead ‘One Country, One Law’ initiative than the controversial monk said that their responsibility was to ensure that the country had one law.
Minister Sabry is expected to make an announcement this week.
Ven. Gnanasara, yesterday, addressed the media from the Presidential Media Division (PMD) and fielded questions online. He said he would meet representatives of all political parties represented in Parliament and outside as well as civil society groups.
Presidential Spokesperson Kingsley Ratnayake said at the commencement of the press briefing that Minister Sabry had met President Gotabaya Rajapaksa before the latter left for Scotland on 30 Oct. Ratnayake said so when the media asked whether the Justice Minister would meet the President to discuss the issue at hand on his return.
Therefore, President Rajapaksa was aware of Justice Minister’s reaction, Ratnayake told The Island, adding that the PTF would go ahead with its work.
Ven. Gnanasara, who contested the last general election from the Kurunegala District on the ‘Ape Jana Bala Pakshaya‘ ticket unsuccessfully, declared that once his PTF completed its task in four months everybody would be pleased with the outcome. According to the relevant gazette issued last week, the PTF has been entrusted with the following tasks: (i) To make a study of the implementation of the concept; One Country, One Law within Sri Lanka and prepare a draft Act for the said purpose, and
(ii)To study the draft Acts and amendments that have already been prepared by the Ministry of Justice in relation to this subject and their appropriateness and if there are suitable amendments to submit proposal for the purpose and include them in such relevant draft as is deemed appropriate.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has requested the PTF to submit a report to him once a month and the final report should be submitted on or before 28 Feb., next year.
Mrs. Jeewanthi Senanayake, Senior Assistant Secretary to the President has been appointed the PTF’s Secretary.
The other members of the Task Force are: Professor Dayananda Banda, Professor Shanthinandana Wijesinghe, Professor Sumedha Siriwardana, N.G. Sujeewa Panditharathna, Attorney-at-Law Iresh Senevirathne, Attorney-at-Law Sanjaya Marambe, Eranda Navarathna, Pani Wewala, Moulavi Mohomad Ulama Council, Galle, Mohomad Inthikab, Lecturer, Kaleel Rahuman, and Azeez Nizardeen.
Responding to another query, Ven. Gnanasara pointed out that even in parliament only a handful didn’t have court or prison records. “The Country’s law is above everyone, if there is an offence then it should be legally dealt with,” the BBS leader said.
Commenting on the role of the PTF, the Thera said: “We are not tasked to draft laws. We are to ascertain whether the public needs had been addressed through the prevailing legal system by looking at them in a different and practical angle. We are not expected to look at things the way how legal experts do.”
The Thera said no citizen should be subjected discrimination before the law on the basis of his or her race, religion, caste or any other factor.
Ven. Gnanasara emphasised that if the citizens could place the country above all, regardless of their ethnicity, religion or political affiliation, the PTF was ready to listen to all opinions regarding the legal framework and other related matters.
The youth of this country were the worst affected by racial, religious and provincial divisions and therefore they have a special place in this process”, the Thera said, adding that all young people representing universities, higher education institutions and various organisations would invited to submit their ideas and suggestions to the Task Force.
The Thera also said that he hoped to discuss the matter with all political parties, religious and civil society organisations and groups in the coming days and added that the discussion was open to all who came without any hidden agendas.
After consulting all those sections, the views and recommendations of the Task Force would be submitted to the President within the given time-frame, he said.
Prof. Sumedha Siriwardana, Member of the Presidential Task Force for One Country, One Law, said that the Task Force had been mandated to make recommendations for the implementation of “One Country, One Law” principle in Sri Lanka after conducting a study. He said the Presidential Task Force did not have the power to make laws and that it would be done by the legislature.
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
