News
Western powers back move to put off national elections indefinitely, warns Wimal
‘Speaker’s silence meant he accepted revelation the US offered him a chance to lead interim administration’
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Western powers backing President Ranil Wickremesinghe would allow him to postpone both presidential and parliamentary polls, National Freedom Front Leader Wimal Weerawansa has said.That would be in line with their overall strategy, the Colombo District lawmaker declared at the launch of the English and Russian translations of his ‘Namaya: Sangawuna Kathawa’ on Friday.
The former Industries and Commerce Minister issued the warning at the ‘Lighthouse auditorium’ at the Lakskman Kadairgamar Institute (LKI) last Friday evening.Russian Ambassador in Colombo Levan Dzhagaryan and Chinese Embassy representatives were among the guests present on the occasion.
MP Weerawansa said that the way President Wickremesinghe had made the Provincial Council and Local Government polls disappear, it wouldn’t be an impossible task for the UNP leader to do the same to the presidential and parliamentary polls. The former minister warned that the powers that be could create a violent environment that
would justify a decision to put off national elections.Weerawansa leads the JNP, one of the breakaway factions of the JVP. The JNP parliamentary group consists of six MPs, including one National List MP.
Lawmaker Weerawansa claimed that President Wickremesinghe was bent on postponing national elections as the UNP leader realized he couldn’t influence the electorate. The ruling SLPP parliamentarians in July 2022 elected the then Premier Wickremesinghe to complete the remainder of Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s five-year term.
At the onset of his fiery speech, the JNP leader pointed out that Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena never denied the accusation that US Ambassador in Colombo Julie Chung offered him the opportunity to head an interim administration after Gotabaya Rajapaksa quit the presidency. Therefore, the original accusation made on April 25 this year at the launch of ‘Namaya: Sangawuna Kathawa’ remains unchallenged, lawmaker Weerawansa said, drawing public attention to Wickremesinghe, in his capacity as the President, is on record alleging how pressure was brought upon him to resign.
The JNP leader said that unless the genuine Opposition reached consensus on a proper strategy to meet the growing threat posed by the President resorting to what the MP called authoritarian measures, the country could suffer an irrevocable and debilitating setback.
Pointing out that Wickremesinghe succeeded Gotabaya Rajapaksa in spite of being part of the ‘Gotagohome’ campaign, MP Weerawansa said that Western powers would ask the incumbent President to discard upcoming elections. The JNP leader compared the instructions received by President Wickremesinghe with Ambassador Chung’s declaration in April this year that Speaker Abeywardena should take the leadership of an interim administration regardless of the Constitutional provisions.
Commenting on the killing of SLPP Polonnaruwa District MP Amarakeerthi Atukorale at Nittambuwa on May 09 last year, Weerawansa alleged that troops positioned there at the time declined to assist the police when their help was sought. The JNP leader asked for an investigation into the Army’s response to violence perpetrated by mobs. Troops should have intervened immediately, the MP said, adding that the conspirators had been able to drag the country down a dangerous path. Alleging they had succeeded in manipulating the Parliament, MP Weerawansa asserted that the Western agenda was going ahead.
The former JVPer found fault with the government decision to declare bankruptcy. The MP pointed out how the IMF ensnared Sri Lanka and now mercilessly pushed the country to increase taxes regardless of driving away the crème of the country’s brains. The MP stressed that the IMF withheld the second tranche of the USD 2.9 bn bailout package to pressure the government to further tighten the screws. How could the lending body known to work according to the requirements of the West, push the country to raise taxes at a time doctors and other professionals were leaving the country in droves.
“We are being used, influenced and manipulated by powerful elements,” MP Weerawansa said, referring to Western backed high profile operations in the Middle East and Ukraine. The MP discussed how the Russians responded to Ukraine pushing for NATO membership.
MP Weerawansa said that the country was in the grip of Western strategy. Unlike Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Wickremesinghe unashamedly enjoyed the office though the country was in a precarious situation. MP Weerawansa, having expressed concerns over the continuing dialogue on the abolition of executive presidency, emphasized that those behind Wickremesinghe would seek to set up an interim administration under the incumbent President. The MP warned that the powers that be would create a food crisis to facilitate their strategy.
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.
