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The Sri Lanka – NORDIC Business Council along with the Norwegian Business Association Sri Lanka, and the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce held an ICT breakfast forum and networking event at Cinnamon Grand on 9th November.  The Royal Norwegian Embassy supported the event in cooperation with SLASSCOM and ICT Norway.

The event was held with the aim to facilitate possible collaborations between an ICT delegation from Norway and ICT companies in Sri Lanka. There was also a panel discussion on the theme “21 Century Skills - How do we create a talent pool for the future”.

The Chief Guest at the event was H.E. Thorbjørn Gaustadsæther, Ambassador of Norway to Sri Lanka and Maldives. Addressing the gathering Ambassador Gaustadsæther said, “there will be a considerable shift in skills and talent required from the global workforce in the next decades. Jobs of the future will require more critical thinking, advanced skills in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths), creativity, interdisciplinary knowledge and people skills among others. Building this talent pool for the future has to start now, and it is the responsibility of government, policy makers, as well as the private sector and individuals.”

Speaking during the panel discussion, Jeevan Gnanam, Chairman SLASSCOM said that this year alone the IT industry needs about 16,000 individuals to join the industry, and that the current university system does not meet the needs of the industry. Lars Mortensen Lægreid, Founder of Emergence School of Leadership in Norway said that it is good governance, which makes Nordic countries prosperous. He also spoke of the importance of sustainability for all industries and the ability of technology to provide new solutions to problems.

One of the key areas in which skills are rapidly changing is the ICT industry. With more than 300 companies, the local ICT sector serves a broad range of industries ranging from communication, apparel and textiles, banking financial services & insurance (BFSI), healthcare, manufacturing, media, retailing, transportation to travel and leisure among others. The discussion on the skills requirement was topical in the ever-changing ICT landscape.

Australian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Bryce Hutchesson in a tweet today said that they are 'seriously concerned at reports that opportunity for a confidence vote will be denied' when Sri Lanka's Parliament is convened on the 14th of November.

Hutchesson's comments come in the wake of several government ministers who said that the Parliamentary order paper has only the policy statement of the President Maithripala Sirisena. "President will deliver the policy statement on November 14 before Parliament is prorogued again,"  Parliamentarian Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena said yesterday (07).

Ousted Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on Thursday urged the citizens of the country to not give up fight for democracy and freedom.

Wickremesinghe thanked the people who have taken to streets to fight against President Sirsena's sudden decision of power transfer.

"It has been thirteen days since democracy was taken hostage in Sri Lanka. But in these dark times, you, the people have not given up," Wickremesinghe said.

United National Party (UNP) leader Wickremesinghe was abruptly sacked by the President Sirisena on October 26. He was later on replaced by former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa. Sirisena further suspended the country's Parliamentary proceedings until November 16.

Sirsena on November 5 announced to reconvene the Sri Lankan Parliament on November 14, amid rising demands by legislators of the state and from teh international community to end the political crisis as soon as possible.

Sri Lanka's Marxist party Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna says the party will support any motion brought to defeat the political conspiracy hatched by the President Maithripala Sirisena and former president Mahinda Rajapaksa.
 
The JVP on Wednesday said the conspiracy being carried out by Mahinda Rajapaksa and Maithripala Sirisena offering positions, privileges and black money should be defeated.
 
"As such the JVP would act to defeat this political conspiracy at the very first instance it gets," the Leader of the JVP MP Anura Dissanayake said.
 
The JVP leader said this political conspiracy should be defeated within Parliament as well as outside it and therefore, the JVP has organized seminars in 4 main towns in the island on the 9th November.
 
On the 12th November, the party has organized a 'Forum' in Colombo where a broad discussion with the participation of representatives of mass organizations, professionals and intellectuals would be held.
 
The JVP also asked the Speaker to convene Parliament immediately since a majority of Parliamentarians have requested the Speaker to do so.
 
The party asked the Speaker not to accept the proroguing of Parliament since the Speaker had not been informed regarding proroguing Parliament. Also, the Gazette has been issued without informing the Speaker definitely about the reconvening of Parliament.
 
The Marxist party noted that the Speaker has released a special statement saying that he would not recognize new changes and he recognizes the earlier positions in parliament until the Parliament is convened.
 
"The JVP considers this statement of the Speaker as a very strong decision and thanks the Speaker for taking such a decision," MP Dissanayake said.
 
The JVP said it would support if a vote is taken against the positions that have been appointed violating the Constitution. Also, if the new government presents budget proposals or any such bill the party would take measures to defeat it, the JVP Leader said.

The Special High Court has lifted the overseas travel ban imposed on former secretary to the Ministry of Defense, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, for a period of one month from December 14. 

Rajapaksa arrived at the Special High Court this morning (09) for the case of the misappropriation of LKR 49 million from public funds to construct the D.A. Rajapaksa Memorial Museum at Weeraketiya.

Sri Lanka's Speaker has decided to suspend the standing orders and test the majority when the parliament reconvenes on the 14th, a statement issued by the Speaker's Media Office said.

The decision was taken at an unofficial meeting of party leaders held Wednesday (November 7), at the Speaker's office to determine the agenda of Parliament on the 14th.
 
The UPFA Government's stand on the day's agenda was to adjourn the parliament for the day after the Secretary General of Parliament read President's order to reconvene parliament.
 
Other party leaders have held a contrary opinion, and pointed out that in addition to the parliamentary business for the day, the majority opinion to establish a stable government should be tested.
 
Secretary of parliament reading of the quorum of the Hon. President's address by the day had to be closed and the congregation should be postponed on that day.
 
Considering the arguments from both sides, the Speaker stated that he would act in accordance with the opinion of the 116 Parliamentarians, who had in writing requested him to reconvene the parliament, and decided to suspend the Standing Orders and allow the majority to decide on the possibility of forming a stable government.
 
The Speaker emphasized that through establishing a majority government, the recent collapse in the foreign investment and stock market, as well as the adverse effects on the economy due to the current political crisis will be averted and a credible position of the country can be restored. (Colombo Page)

Delaying a parliament vote on the new Sri Lankan government could damage Sri Lanka's reputation and deter investors, the European Union said. 

"The Ambassadors of the European Union, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Romania, the High Commissioner of the United Kingdom, as well as the Ambassadors of Norway and Switzerland take note of the summoning of Parliament as indicated in the Gazette," the EU said.

"We consider it essential that Parliament be allowed to demonstrate its confidence by voting immediately when reconvened in order to resolve the serious uncertainties currently facing the country. Any further delay could damage Sri Lanka’s international reputation and deter investors." 

The EU reiterated that "respect by all stakeholders for the provisions of the constitution will be important to maintain the confidence of the Sri Lankan people in democratic governance and the rule of law."

Making a feeble and clumsy attempt to whitewash the homophobic references made by President Maithripala Sirisena at the recent rally held in Battaramulla, Co-Cabinet Spokesperson Mahinda Samarasinghe yesterday said President Maithripala Sirisena did not make any sexual innuendo when he made a reference to ‘Butterflies’ when speaking of Premier Ranil Wickramasinghe and his group of Ministers. “They entered in to a butterfly way of life” the President had said which was taken as a homophobic comment made against Wickramasinghe. 

“What he means was the UNP group like Butterflies would fly from flower to flower and meddle in everything” he said as an explanation. However when journalists brought up the fact that in society ‘butterfly’ is accepted as a derogatory term against homosexuals, Samarasinghe asked the journalists not to give the word their own interpretation. “Butterfly is just an innocent animal” he said reiterating that it was not a homophobic comment. He also admitted that people are using the comment made to cross over as well. 

However the local LGBT community taking offence have launched a series of protests against the pathetic comments made by the President. Senior Lecturer of University of Colombo and Activist T. Waradas has called on the President to apologies for hurting the sentiments of the community.

A vehicle parade organized by the United National Party (UNP) was held in Colombo today commencing from the Temple Trees to the Independence Square demanding that the Parliament be convened and democracy be established in Sri Lanka.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe observed the vehicle parade and greeted the protestors as it passed the Temple Trees.

A prolonged power struggle between Sri Lanka’s President and his sacked Prime Minister has paralysed the island’s Government and must be solved immediately, a key MP said Wednesday. 

President Maithripala Sirisena is yet to appoint several Ministers since controversially dismissing Ranil Wickremesinghe’s administration last month and appointing former strongman Mahinda Rajapaksa in his place.  

The move, which has been described as illegal by opponents, has triggered a constitutional crisis.  Sirisena has filled only 20 of 30 Cabinet positions – purposefully keeping some portfolios vacant to tempt legislators of Wickremesinghe’s party to defect to his and Rajapaksa’s side ahead of a Parliamentary vote on 14 November. 

The vote will determine whether Wickremesinghe or Rajapaksa has a majority to form a Government. 

“Our country is going down the precipice. No one is working in Government offices,” Kumar Welgama, a senior member of Rajapaksa’s party and an influential Sri Lankan politician, told reporters in Colombo. 

“Public servants want to know who the real PM is. People are confused,” he added, calling for the suspension of Parliament to be lifted so that the issue of who is the rightful Prime Minister can be settled. 

“Today, we are the laughing stock of the world. One Prime Minister is in the Official Residence and the other is in the PM’s Office. 
“We need to settle this issue through Parliament,” he said. 

Sirisena sacked Wickremesinghe on 26 October due to an intense personality clash between the two. 

Wickremesinghe says his dismissal was illegal and claims to command a majority in Parliament. 

Rajapaksa also maintains that he has a majority, however, leaving the country in the unusual position of having two people claiming to be Prime Minister. 

Sirisena shut Parliament a day after sacking Wickremesinghe. He has refused calls to reconvene it at the earliest opportunity, saying it will not reopen until 14 November. 

According to latest counts, Wickremesinghe has 103 MPs from the 225-seat assembly after gaining a defection on Tuesday, while Rajapaksa and Sirisena have 101. 

Most of the remaining 21 MPs are set to oppose Rajapaksa, observers say. (AFP)

The Sri Lankan rupee ended weaker on Thursday (08) as outflows from government securities and stocks due to political uncertainty raised dollar demand.

Stocks fell for the fourth straight session, hitting its near two-week closing low and moving further away from their near two-month closing high hit last week, as the political crisis dented sentiment after the speaker of parliament said on Monday he would not recognise President Maithripala Sirisena's sacking of Ranil Wickremesinghe as prime minister and appointment of Mahinda Rajapaksa in his place. 

The bond market saw an outflow of about LKR 11 billion between Oct. 25-31, Central Bank data showed. 

This year, Sri Lanka has seen LKR 16.6 billion rupees in outflows from stocks and LKR 100.8 billion from government securities, Bourse and Central Bank data respectively showed. (Reuters)

A 9-member delegation of the Cambodian Mine Action Authority (CMAA) of the Cambodian government, with the intention of broadening their knowledge through Sri Lanka’s Humanitarian De-mining work, visited Muhamalai Humanitarian De-mining site on Wednesday (7) to share Sri Lanka's de-mining practices.
 
The delegation, comprised of Mr Prum Sophakmonkol Secretary General, CMAA, Mr Tep Kallyan, Deputy Secretary General, CMAA, Mr Rob White, Adviser, Strategic Management and Residual Contaminations, Mr Mao Bunnhath, Adviser Department Director of Victim Assistance, CMAA, Mr Ediwin Fraigmane, Chief of Technical Adviser Mine Action, UNDP Cambodia, Mr Tan Sara Department Director of Social Economic Planning and Database Management, CMAA, Mr Chim Chansideth, Department Director of Regulation and Monitoring, CMAA, Ms Ros Sophal, Deputy Data Base Manager, CMAA and Ms Buth Rothana, Programme Officer, Mines Advisory Group (MAG) Cambodia.

Major Waruna Ponnamperuma, Commanding Officer, 10 Field Engineer Regiment of the Sri Lanka Army Humanitarian De-mining Unit (HDU) presented a comprehensive briefing to the visitors on the status quo as regards the ongoing Army de-mining project in Muhamalai and adjoining areas.
 
After they were taken to the site, Army manual and mechanical de-mining teams staged field demonstrations, leaving space for them to interact with de-miners at work. Towards the end of the near 3-hour long live demonstration of Army de-miners, the delegation called at the HALO Trust resettlement site in Muhamalai itself where other non-governmental de-miners are at work.