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Yahapalana regime lowered guard to consolidate power leaving nation open to Easter carnage – GL
By Saman Indrajith
The yahapalana government’s preoccupation with the consolidation of power had made it possible for the Easter Sunday terror attacks to be carried out, Education Minister Prof GL Peiris told Parliament yesterday (27).
“The yahapalana regime deliberately dismantled security measures and mechanisms in response to requests of minority groups to get their support to consolidate power. There had been a mechanism operated by intelligence and immigration and emigration officers to prevent unwanted persons from entering the country. It was dismantled on the request of extremist groups to allow preachers to come here to spread hate, and huge sums of funds were allowed to come and the External Resources Department of the Central Bank was kept in the dark.”
Prof Peiris said so in response to a question raised by Gampaha District SJB MP Dr Kavinda Jayawardana.
Dr Jayawardana said that 355 persons had died and over 500 become disabled owing to the terror attack on Easter Sunday, last year, and the incumbent government had pledged to take action against those responsible but nothing of the sort happened yet.
“You promised to put an end to the Sharia universities, to arrest Dr Shafi Shihabdeen for sterilizing mothers without their consent, you promised to put an end to teaching Sharia law in this country. Yesterday we saw on TV former governor M. L. A. M. Hizbullah, the person who founded the Sharia University, arriving at the Presidential Commission with guards from the Ministerial Security Division. Even the Presidential Commission Chairman observed that the inquiries conducted as regards Hizbullah were not satisfactory. Can you tell us whether the Sharia University would be closed or taken over by the government?
Minister Prof Peiris: We have increased the student intake from 30,000 to 40,500 to universities. So, we are planning to make use of the resources of that institute to facilitate the student intake.
Prof Peiris said that Batticaloa Campus Private Limited had been registered on Feb 29, 2016 and 90 percent of ownership was with Hira Foundation while 10 percent was with Ahmed Hiraz Hisbullah.
Asked whether there was a course on Sharia law, the Minister said that a Bachelor of Arts in Sharia law under Islamic Studies had been intended to introduce. “We rejected recognition of the institute and it is no longer an education institute,” the Minister said.
MP Jayawardana demanded to know from the Minister when action would be taken against those responsible for the Easter Sunday terror attacks.
Minister Prof Peiris: This is a problem we inherited from you. You spent five years without taking action to stop it, now within one year we have conducted investigations. After following due procedures, actions will be taken in due time. Billions of rupees have been pumped into this country without being monitored by the Central Bank’s External Resources Department. How did that happen? We see nothing wrong in funds coming into this country but we should know the sources? Many preachers were allowed to come and some of them were given on-arrival visas. Where else in the world would preachers be allowed to come and preach without checking their past records? The Yahapalana government, with the intention of securing the support of those small groups, lifted the bars that had been there for the protection. The end result was leaving the nation in danger and the Easter Sunday terror carnage was one of the consequences of those actions.”
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
