Unemployed graduates demand national policy



2015-12-30
The Combined Association of Unemployed Graduates (CAUG) today staged a protest outside the University Grants Commission (UGC) demanding a national policy to provide job opportunities for graduates. Pix by Kushan Pathiraja - See more at: http://www.dailymirror.lk/101207/and-national-policy#sthash.3Si5SG4I.dpuf

Logic Behind The Actions & Politics Of The NPC

By Mylvaganam Sooriasegaram –December 30, 2015

Mylvaganam Sooriasegaram

It is essential to try to go deep into the actions and politics of the NPC, led by TNA’s breakaway group centred around the Chief Minister, C.V. Wigneswaran and assess the inherent dangers. Separatist ideology and an attempt to return to the barren politics of the LTTE can be seen in every one of their actions. If this is not identified and exposed, once again the Tamil people will be forced to take the road to disaster and Sri Lanka will be plunged into another civil strife for decades. One such painful experience in our history is too many – we have to mobilize ourselves and act together to prevent its repetition. Otherwise we will sleepwalk into another disaster like the one we had to endure during the last 30 years. I am not a nationalist but if we have to choose between the nationalism of the TNA and that of the Federal Party, the latter is a tolerable one. Neither is my choice provided we can collectively work for a truly democratic Sri Lanka where all the different communities can enjoy equal rights, opportunities and privileges, irrespective of their religion, language and ethnicity.

The actions of the TNA rebels headed by the CM cannot be seen as isolated actions of madness. They are interconnected by the dogmatic philosophy of an inward looking separation and isolation, giving false hopes to people in desperation. Another dangerous aspect to the politics of separation is the inclusion of cultural and religious fundamentalism. CM’s lamenting over cultural degeneration and his posing as the guardian of Tamil Culture, if not correctly understood and checked, can lead us on a slippery road similar to Islamic fundamentalism. His resemblance to Ayotola Humani of Iran is not a comforting factor either. His going to India to meet Modi through the back door to have his Swamigi (who was charged and found guilty of child abuse by all the courts in India including the Supreme Court of India) released from imprisonment in India is symptomatic of his religious fanaticism. If his group secures political power and Eelam, the Tamil people will definitely be subjected to religious, cultural and political dictatorship.

We have seen the Chief Minister glorifying Prabakaran as a hero soon after his election to power. Since then he and his faction have joined hands with the pro-Eelamists within and outside of Sri Lanka to take on Sri Lanka once again.

We can see their incessant cry of not enough powers devolved to the NP even though many important devolved powers and the unusually large government funds allocated to the NP have not been effectively utilized to serve the immediate as well as the long term needs of our people. This is because they want to keep alive the suffering and desperation of the Tamil people to justify the separatist agenda, to which people can again be swayed easily due to government’s failure to restore the legitimate rights of the Tamil speaking people. Sri Lankan government also must not fail to do what is fair, right and just to the minority communities so that they can also happily and proudly embrace and celebrate their Sri Lankan identity. Doing what is fair, right and just cannot be a difficult thing at all in a predominantly Buddhist country. Government failing to do this will not only be offensive to Buddhism but also be foolish enough to give the separatists all the excuses they need to take the separatist line of politics. Government should never be party to strengthen the separatist agenda.

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Govt. urged to stop persecuting military to appease West

December 30, 2015, 9:42 am 

Kalutara District UPFA MP Jayantha Samaraweera (NFF) yesterday warned the government of dire consequences unless it immediately stopped persecuting military officers on trumped-up charges.

Samaraweera was addressing the media at the Kottawa junction in the wake of a group of monks performing Satyakriya to pressure the government to release five military officers and men arrested in connection with their alleged involvement in the disappearance of media personality Prageeth Ekneligoda on the eve of 2010 presidential polls.

The MP also referred to Sergeant Major Sunil Ratnayake, who had been sentenced to death recently for being responsible for the massacre of eight Tamil civilians at Mirusuvil, Jaffna on Dec 19, 2000.

The Sirisena-Wickremesinghe government had jeopardised national security by acting against the Directorate of Military Intelligence (DMI), the MP claimed. The government had conveniently forgotten the sacrifices made by security forces, particularly Intelligence Services during the conflict, Samaraweera alleged.

The NFF spokesman said the government was bending backwards to appease Western powers, pro-LTTE Diaspora organisations as well as those who still promoted separatist sentiments. According to him, the new administration had targeted selected officers and men in accordance with a commitment given last September at the Geneva-based United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), which was a Western cat’s paw.

The former JVPer warned that people would launch street protests unless the government reversed its despicable strategy (SF)

Another Army officer arrested

DEC 30 2015

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) recently arrested another Army Officer attached to the State Intelligence Service in connection with the abduction and murder of journalist Prageeth Eknaligoda.

CID sources said he is a member of the gang who abducted Eknaligoda in 2010.

According to sources Abeyratne was a Sergeant during the period when Eknaligoda was abducted and later promoted to the Lieutenant rank.

He was previously questioned by the CID in connection with the incident and released after having recorded several statements.

In his previous statements, he had said that on the day Eknaligoda was abducted, he came to Colombo from the Giritale Army Camp to obtain quotations for sports equipment.

He had said that he first went to Borella to meet a friend and then went to Battaramulla for the quotations. According to him he went to the Giritale Camp the same day.

But, when the CID inquired after obtaining phone details of Abeyratne they found that he had not come to Colombo during the day Eknaligoda was abducted and they arrested him again on Monday.

When questioned for the second time, he failed to give the name of the shop from which he obtained the quotation for sports equipment or the friend whom he met. He is to be produced before the Homagama Magistrate. 

Why Mahinda Worried about Prageeth, Lasantha Murder Investigations

Rajapksa standing on his head!

30/12/2015

Today this column records the true story of Mahinda Rajapaksa’s recent photograph released to the Facebook by his son Namal in which Mahinda was seen standing on his head. Namal uploaded this photograph to show that his 70-year-old father was still fit as a fiddle.

On the contrary, the common man in society viewed it in a more practical social and political perspective because it was only a few days before this photograph went viral on the social and print media, Mahinda visited the Welikada Prison to see the suspects in the Prageeth Ekneligoda murder or disappearance. Concluding that visit, Mahinda who came out from the Prison entrance told the media, “Military officers are facing the guillotine while national security was at peril”.

On receipt of that observation, the true story behind Mahinda standing on head surfaced. The first question that surfaced was: If Mahinda was standing on his feet would he have had ever made such a statement from the entrance to the Prison? That query was raised by a three- wheeler-driver, a man from the lumpen class in society. However, that query is correct. On 2 February 2010 Brigadier Keppetiwalana and 17 high ranking military officers were arrested for the murder of Lasantha Wickremetunga under Mahinda’s Presidency. They were all war heroes who gallantly fought the terrorist war at the risk of their lives. Earlier, in a manner adding insult to injury to the integrity of the military, Mahinda’s administration sent 14 senior military officers on compulsory leave alleging that they supported Sarath Fonseka at the 2010 Presidential Election. That was the first time in the Army history that such a number of high ranking military officers had been sent on compulsory leave.

For betraying nation
The Sinhala daily ‘Divaina’s ‘ Keerthi Warnakulasuriya reported that incident, on 02.02.2010, in the following manner: ’14 military officers sent on compulsory leave for betraying the nation’ – Fourteen senior military officers have been sent on compulsory leave immediately yesterday , Director General of the Centre for National Security Lakshman Hulugalle said. He said the reason was that these officers had assisted an anti-national plan. They included five Majors-General, Five Brigadiers, a Colonel, a Lt. Colonel and two Captains. Hulugalle further stated that Intelligence authorities had reported to top government officials of the conduct of these military officials last week’.

During the 1962 coup which was later popular as the case of ‘Queen vs. Liyanage’ in judicial history, a few officers of the military were sent on compulsory leave. In the case of the 14 senior military officers sent on compulsory leave by Mahinda’s administration they faced charges for acting against the Secretary to the President and the Army Commander. These officers were served letters of compulsory leave and they were identified as Majors-General D. Liyanage, Rajitha Silva, Jayanath Perera, Mahesh Senanayake and Suriyabandara; Brigadiers D.D. Dias, Keppetiwalana, Mohotti, Hannedige and Kumarapperuma; Colonel Tilak Ubhayawardene, Lt.Col. Jayasuriya and Captains Ranaweera and Krishantha.’ Altogether 37 military personnel were arrested framing bogus charges on the pretext of a conspiracy against the State. Cannot Mahinda remember that past? If so, Mahinda’s Yoga Instructor would have made Mahinda stand on his head to make Mahinda forget that past. If Mahinda is able to recollect that past he cannot make such silly statements outside the prison gates!

When Mahinda arrested military officers over the murder of Lasantha, was that a patriotic act? Then how come when the Ranil-Maithri Government arrests military personnel over the murders of Prageeth Ekneligoda and Lasantha, they should be viewed as unpatriotic acts? It is a fact that people who stand with their feet on the ground could understand the realities and those who stand on their heads would never understand the truth. Mahinda’s supporters who shed crocodile tears, when arrests are made over the murders of Prageeth and Lasantha, do it not for any love for Prageeth and Lasantha, but for the fear that more skeletons may emerge from the cupboards of Mahinda’s administration.

_ Ceylon Today

Past Year Marked Important Democratic Gains In Several Countries Including Sri Lanka: John Kerry

December 30, 2015

“The past year also marked important democratic gains in such countries as Nigeria, Burma, Sri Lanka, and Venezuela” says the US Secretary of State, John Kerry in his Op-Ed “Building on 2015 as We Look Ahead”

John Kerry

We publish below the Op-Ed in full;

One reason for the remarkable record of the New England Patriots is the team’s single-minded focus on the next game. Managing world affairs requires the same concentration on future challenges, for past accomplishments provide no guarantee of continued success. They can, however, lend confidence that, with the right preparation and effort, positive results will follow.

As one year gives way to the next, international leaders have an opportunity to build on several major achievements of 2015.

Of these, none is more important than the recent global agreement in Paris to prevent the most harmful impacts of climate change. Earlier negotiating efforts had failed because of divisions between industrialized and developing nations. By reaching out to China, the world’s leading emitter of greenhouse gases, and by emphasizing the incredible economic potential of clean energy technology, we were able to secure an agreement that sends the right message to all. We have a shared responsibility now to sustain the momentum generated in Paris, so that the targets established there are considered not a ceiling on what we can accomplish, but rather the platform upon which we can make further gains.

In July, the United States and our negotiating partners agreed with Iran on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, a blueprint for blocking all of Iran’s potential pathways to a nuclear weapon. As it agreed to do, Iran has since begun dismantling critical elements of its nuclear facilities and, on December 28, shipped a major portion of its enriched uranium out of the country. That shipment more than triples our previous timeline of two to three months for Iran to acquire enough weapons-grade uranium for one weapon, and is an important piece of the technical equation that ensures an eventual breakout time of at least one year by implementation day. We must continue to monitor implementation of this agreement closely to ensure that the specter of a nuclear-armed Iran is removed as a threat to Middle East security and global peace.

In August, I had the privilege of traveling to Havana to raise the American flag above our embassy for the first time in 54 years. President Obama’s bold decision to normalize diplomatic ties with Cuba reflects both our own national interests and our desire to help the citizens of that country live in a more open and prosperous society. As I walked through the streets of Old Havana, I felt more strongly than ever that we should not allow our continued differences with the Cuban regime to prevent closer engagement with the Cuban people.

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Kolonnawa UC Chairman remanded over assault charges 

2015-12-30
Colombo Additional Magistrate Augusta Atapattu today criticised the Wellampitiya Police and remanded the Kolonnawa UC Chairman till January 4 on charges of assaulting the participants of a peaceful picket against the garbage dumping in Kolonnawa by the Colombo Municipality.

Counsel Gunaratna Wanninayake appearing with a team of lawyers for the aggrieved party said the residents had protested over the dumping of garbage brought from the Colombo Municipal limits.

He said the Wellampitiya Police had wilfully failed to provide protection to the protesters.

The counsel said after the police withdrew from the scene, the Kolonnawa Urban Council Chairman Ravindra Udaya Shantha had come there in a blue vehicle with about 15 to 20 thugs and assaulted the protesters.

He said six people including Attorney-at-law Nuwan Bopage were injured and warded in hospital.

The counsel said the Chairman was furious over the protest because the chairman is paid Rs. 4,000 by the Colombo Municipality for every truck load of garbage dumped there.

Counsel Gunaratne said there are four cases pending in the Magistrate Courts against the chairman on charges of assaulting and kidnapping people. The counsel requested the Magistrate to remand the suspect based on his previous record.

The counsel said the Wellampitiya OIC had asked the suspect to come to court without informing the aggrieved party about it.

He said the police was biased because of the political influence of the UC Chairman.

The Wellampitiya Police OIC told the Magistrate that another court had issued a restraining order on the protesters preventing them from obstructing the lorries that bring garbage to the dump. He said the protesters had carried out the picket with adhering to that order.

Counsel Anton Senanayake appearing for the chairman said on December 27 the chairman while on his way to Kolonnawa from Nuwara Eliya had received a phone call about the protest and had gone to the scene to see what was happening and pointed out that the allegations were made against the chairman because of political differences.

The Magistrate observed that every citizen had the right to engage in peaceful protests and nobody could assault them. The Magistrate blamed the police for their arbitrary action. (T. Farook Thajudeen)
- See more at: http://www.dailymirror.lk/101195/kolonnawa-mayor-remanded#sthash.uQ71N5aR.dpu

Supply of substandard dialysis machines for NCP kidney patients revealed

Project implemented at a cost of Rs 134,120,000 under probe

By Shamindra Ferdinando-December 30, 2015, 9:21 am 

A massive state-funded project implemented in the North Central Province (NCP) for the benefit of Chronic kidney disease patients has failed due to the supply of substandard dialysis machines during the previous administration.

The NCP consists of the Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa districts.

Investigations undertaken by the Presidential Commission of Inquiry to Investigate and Inquire into Serious Acts of Fraud, Corruption and Abuse of Power, State Resources and Privileges (PRECIFAC) had implicated ministers of the then UPFA-run North Central Provincial Council and public officials in an alleged racket to supply low quality dialysis machines, authoritative sources told The Island yesterday.

Although a staggering Rs. 134,120,000 was spent on the project, those responsible for its implementation had failed to secure dialysis machines that confirmed to recommended specifications, sources said.

According to a PRECIFAC document (seen by The Island), under this project, 5,000 dialysis machines had been distributed in 2010, 2,500 and 5,000 in 2011 and 2012, respectively.

The ongoing investigation revealed that in accordance with the accepted tender procedures, the NCP administration failed to ensure the maintenance of required laboratory facilities, regional maintenance centres as well as failure to perform much needed tests, sources said.

The investigation has further revealed the failure on the part of the provincial administration to obtain replacement dialysis machines for those that hadn’t been properly maintained.

Responding to a query, sources said that the entire payment had been made by the provincial administration. Unfortunately, the supplied machines had failed to filter harmful waste, salt, and excess fluid from blood, sources said.

They said that the PRECIFAC had recorded statements from at least 15 persons so far. Sources alleged that provincial ministers and officials had abused their power and obtained substandard equipment having misled and deceived the public.

Investigations have revealed that the previous government hadn’t inquired into the NCP project. Sources said that patients had been led to believe they were safe.

Moving Towards Megapolis In Sri Lanka

By S. Sivathasan –December 30, 2015 

S. Sivathasan

From Independence to now, the greatest proposal that is coming about after Mahaweli Development is the Megapolis Project. Half a century intervening between the two is a tragic commentary on the nation’s political order. Still worse has been the unwholesome management of the economy. Reversing the past and setting foot anew on fresh territory is what the proposal is about. In the geographical space it will spread across, about the time it takes to approach a stage of completion and in scale of investment to spark valuable spin off, it is envisaged as a gigantic project.

The concept of a chain of urban areas, interlinked into “City Region” was outlined as a ‘Megalopolis’ in 1915 by Patrick Geddes a Scottish geographer. The scheme envisioned by Hon. Ranil Wickremasinghe in 2002 in his term as Prime Minister, may approximate the concept of a megalopolis in due course. The prominent feature that stood out was the interlinking of cities in the Western Province. This factor may distinguish it from a metropolis.

Speed of Growth

A look around the world may be instructive, even invigorating too. London, the second mega city to develop in the last two millennia grew over a time span of several centuries. Two empires produced Rome and London with an interval of 1800 years. Human ingenuity produced the remaining mega cities in a mere 200 years.

What accounts for this phenomenon of concentration as against spatial dispersal? Rather difficult to explain the contrasting ways, forces acted on a body of people. Centripetally to make them move towards the city or centrifugally to make them move away from. May I state rather blithely that if de-concentration was more viable financially and logistically, humanity would have already made that ideal a reality. There are several disciplines to study this issue comprehensively, but let us survey growth in the past.

Rural – Urban Transition

The world had developed 2 cities by 1800, having a population of more than 1 million. In the 207 years that followed, 468 such cities had grown. UN forecasts that by 2030, cities will be home to 5 billion or 60% of the world’s population. From village to town; rural to urban; town to city; city to megacity and thence to megalopolis is the inexorable transition. There is no letting up. The trend is irreversible.

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Second phase of conspiracy of SC judges to save rapist Abrew and thereby Rajapakses...

(Lanka-e-News -30.Dec.2015, 9.45AM) Lanka e news inside information division  in its report on 20 th December exposed the conspiracy hatched by Supreme court (SC) judges to rescue the notorious SC judge Sarath Abrew the rapist in his criminal involvement, and thereby provide relief to the deceitful Rajapakses. By now this conspiracy has progressed to the second stage…..

These  SC  judges have decided to  hear the fundamental rights (FR)  petition filed by Abrew who is facing two charges in the lower court. Abrew has pointed out in his petition that those charges  are political revenge  motivated.

If an accused who is facing criminal charges in a lower court is to file an FR petition , ordinarily under the law it is the practice to postpone the hearing of the FR petition until the criminal case in the lower court is tried. This is to preclude the possibility of interference with the proceedings in the lower court because   there is room  for appeals being filed in the higher courts including the SC against the  verdict given by  the lower court. 

Form this it is clear  even though there is no capacity to distort the   ordinary accepted procedure pertaining to  rapist Abrew’s petition , but still the Rajapakse  powers are dominating  the judicial arena.

The three judges selected by the SC Registrar to hear the petition of Abrew are : Chief justice as president of the panel ;Priyantha Jayawardena whom  Lanka e news earlier on exposed as the originator  of the conspiracy and a stooge of Rajapakses; and Upali Abeyratne who had a dispute with Sarath Abrew . 

The most atrocious part of this conspiracy is the  inclusion of Upali Abeyratne an enemy of  Abrew in this panel. The dispute between Upali who is a lackey and lickspittle of the Rajapakses and Abrew another Rajapakse stooge is not something that erupted recently. 

During the Rajapakse reign , both these despicable Rajapakse  stooges among others attended  an international conference of judges. At this conference, it was Sarath Abrew who became conspicuous for destroying the image of the country by asking stupid questions . To this , it was Abeyratne who made Abrew the butt of vilification  . Consequently , Abrew became a laughing stock and a symbol of public disgrace.

After the conclusion of the conference , when the group was at the airport headed for Sri Lanka , Abrew who was smarting under the humiliation and insults he faced , took revenge on Upali Abeyratne . He attacked Abeyratne’s head  with a water bottle while threatening  ‘ now, you go to SL. I will get Gotabaya to abduct you by white Van . See what I shall do to you. You don’t know who I am.’ Upali who knew about Sarath Abrew , no sooner he returned to SL than he reported the matter to Mahinda Rajapakse , the president at that time. Mahinda intervened and resolved the dispute.

No matter what ,the dispute between Abrew and Abeyratne is well known among the legal circles. This incident of assault was reported by  a prominent print media without revealing names and addresses.

In this backdrop, Abeyratne had expressed his reluctance to  sit in this present panel , and hence to remove him from it. However , as hereinbefore mentioned , since the pro Rajapakse team is still dominating  within the SC , Mahinda Rajapakse has instructed Abeyratne to stay put without getting agitated , and act according to his instructions.  

Abeyratne who still addresses Mahinda Rajapakse and not Maithripala Sirisena as H.E.has decided to be in the panel hearing the case with Abrew, bowing to the wishes of Mahinda , and had agreed to act according to latter’s orders. Abeyratne had remarked ‘how can I defy H.E.’s order’ ( of course his H.E. is Mahinda Rajapakse) 

May we recall , Lanka e news in its first report revealed that , without rejecting the FR petition of Abrew ,  in order  to rescue Abrew, grounds are to be cited in his defense that  the charges are based on  political revenge with a view  to repel the charges mounting against him  . Thereafter to use that conspiratorial plan  to provide relief on the same lines to the Rajapakse crooks who are  to be charged before the FCID in the future.

It is the plan of the Rajapakses through the decision that gives relief to rapist Abrew , and through that  show ,even Abeyratne who was attacked with the water bottle has concurred in that decision because of its fairness . Based on this plan , when two of the judges Priyantha Jayawardena and Upali Abeyratne , of the three judges panel are taking one view , the chief justice is  shunted  and solitary,which means the desired  verdict can be secured by the Rajapakses.  

Taking advantage of the weakness of the CJ of the government of good governance , the defeated discarded Rajapakses have made a number of plans to topple the government of good governance through the judges who are Rajapakse stooges via similar verdicts delivered by them in the future  . Lanka e news inside information division is in the ready to reveal these shortly. 

Connected news- ‘Conspiracy hatched by SC judges to save Rapist Abrew and thereby Rajapakses in their crimes !’

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by     (2015-12-30 04:19:36)

Have evidence against Rajapaksa regime members: Lanka Govt

Sri Lankan investigators allege corruption and rights abuses during Rajapaksa's 10-year rule

December 30, 2015

Sri Lankan investigators have found enough evidence to arrest members of the previous Mahinda Rajapaksaregime for alleged corruption and rights abuses during his 10-year rule, a senior minister said.

"Investigations are nearing end. All will be arrested and taken to court," said Rajitha Senaratne, Minister of Health and government spokesman.

Senaratne said enough evidence has been uncovered to hold trials against former regime members facing human rights abuse and corruption charges.

He said the government did not interfere in the probe as the investigators were provided complete independence.

Independent investigations were made possible as the new government of President Maithripala Sirisena formed after the January 2015 presidential poll restored the freedom of the law enforcement agencies, he told reporters yesterday.

The Sirisena government has pledged to restore the rule of law, advocating stringent action against Rajapaksa regime members for alleged corruption, wrongdoings and rights abuses.

But Sri Lankan people have shown discontent over the slow pace of the investigations. There have been allegations that the Sirisena government was shielding some of the alleged perpetrators to cut-in political deals.

Rajapaksa loyalists have denied any wrongdoing during the 10-year rule of the former Sinhala strongman, even dubbing the action taken by the present government a political witchhunt.

Since Rajapaksa's defeat in January presidential polls, family members and close associates of the former president have faced corruption allegations, including having secret bank accounts overseas.

Some of them, including then economic development minister and Rajapaksa's younger brother Basil, were arrested.

Rajapaksa's wife Shiranthi was also quizzed by police. His sons are said to be linked to the murder of a popular rugby player. The Rajapaksas have denied the charges.

Five killed, 22 injured in road tragedy

2015-12-30
Five people travelling in a van were killed and 22 others injured in a head-on collision between the van and a private bus at the Dummaladeniya Junction on the Warakapola-Colombo road early this morning.

Police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekera said among those killed were the van driver and a two-year-old girl. The van with the load of passengers was travelling from Samanthurai to the Passport Office in Colombo to apply for travel documents for a pilgrimage Mecca.

ASP Gunasekera said the tragedy had occurred when the van had attempted to recklessly overtake another vehicle.

The private bus was carrying passengers from Colombo to Kalmunai on a pilgrimage

The ASP said the injured were admitted to the Kegalle and Wathupitiwala hospitals. (Chaturanga Pradeep)
- See more at: http://www.dailymirror.lk/101117/five-killed-7-injured-in-accident-at-dummaladeniya#sthash.8NReHvHF.dpuf

A paradigm shift in medical care and plight of the poor

December 30, 2015, 8:44 am 

State-run Hospitals in Sri Lanka are chock-a-block with patients desperately seeking medical help for afflictions ranging from the trivial to those that are life-threatening. How can we account for this seemingly explosive increase in those seeking institutional aid?

Its roots are as much social as medical. Traditionally, the sick were treated at home with Native Practitioners administering nostrums based on Ayurvedic folklore. Interventions of the kind seen in modern hospitals were rare or non-existent. Invalids recovered serendipitously, or died peacefully at home, with near and dear ones around the deathbed. Often a monk was called in to assure a good passage to the next world.

The great medico-sociological revolution that has overrun our rural populations is the acceptance of the Western notion that the body is a machine that must be regularly serviced and repaired by specialists. This means that illness is no more the malfunctioning ‘machine’ that must be put right by a kind of specialist medical engineering that necessarily entails experts – and ‘workshops’ called hospitals. There is no need to belabor the point that the new philosophy involved in this management of the sick and the feeble is not only hugely expensive – it is unsustainable as a long-term strategy of health-care, except for those with wealth and privilege.

There is also the fact that true medical care is not all science and technology. The ancients spoke of the ‘healing touch’ or the ‘laying on of hands’ to betoken a spiritual side to medicine – the power to heal depending on the personal ‘magnetism’ of the healer in his encounter with the invalid, and his immediate circle of near and dear ones. That the new system of hospital medicine reduces to naught the ambiences of mystery and spirituality to the healing process will not be denied by any except the incorrigibly skeptical.

Until recent times, prayer was supposed to be an essential part of the care of the sick. This expulsion of mystery in matters of life and death is a regrettable cultural regression of the modern world. Is there a solution? There is one - albeit partial in its scope. Let us recall that before the rise of hospital-based scientific medicine, there was a class of healers called ‘General Practitioners’ who served a community or neighbourhood from within – that is as an accepted member who played a role as comforter and adviser to patients who were socially bonded to him and viewed him as an elder and a friend.

Naturally, this was possible only in closely-knit communities of a kind that have largely been replaced by anonymous urban sprawls. Sadly, high science and the latest in medical technology did not penetrate the GP brotherhood, and they have gone the way that cars have replaced buggy-carts. This forced extinction of GPs is one of the prime reasons for the rise of Hospital Medicine, and the loss of that intimacy between patient and doctor that made medical care different from the repair of machinery. While it seems impractical and even anomalous in this day and age of Mega-cities and high science, would it not be possible to introduce itinerant or ‘barefoot doctors’ as an arm of the state-run social services to advise (clinical counselling) and provide a basic health care network for the less fortunate? It should be emphasized that such ‘barefoot doctors’ ought to be seen as community-based friends and helpers – not ‘inspectors’ of the kind notorious today, in connection with the Anti-Dengue campaign launched by the State.

The problem facing mankind as a whole is the unbearable rise in the cost and sophistication of medical care, while wealth is increasingly accumulated asymmetrically with the rich getting richer while poverty shows no sign of easing its historic dominance as the most pressing problem we face as mortal beings.

Let us conclude by reflecting on a similar social ’paradigm shift’ in the field of ‘human locomotion’. Through most of history, people walked –often great distances – without the danger of lethal impacts from road machines. Today the car is a dire need as public roads are not meant for walking. This ‘paradigm shift’ in styles of public locomotion is killing the planet, according to some respected authorities. The shift to Hospital Medicine is clearly not so calamitous, but the cumulative social cost can be so great as to be unsustainable in the long term. Mankind has to develop not only new medicines, but also new and enlightened ways to deal with the sickness and death that stalks us all.

R. Chandrasoma

Ravi K under fire for batting for Nihal in Hilton claim


Thursday, 31 December 2015

• Apart from Rs. 100 m released via overdraft in December 2014, BOC has further paid Rs. 125 m in June this year as part of Rs. 300 m settlement entered in to between Nihal Ameresekere and previous regime’s Finance Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa  
• Good governance activists question Ravi K’s memo for Cabinet approval for settlement amidst JVP politicians complaint against Ameresekere and BOC transactions to Bribery Commission and FCID

Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake is under fire for making a case in Cabinet for Nihal Sri Ameresekere over latter’s claim of Rs. 300 million as compensation for supposedly savings Rs. 87 billion for the State over the years with regard to long-drawn dispute concerning Hilton Colombo.

Criticism against the Finance Minister is on account of him seeking Cabinet approval for compensation when a JVP Western Provincial Council member has lodged a complaint to the Bribery Commission and Financial Crimes Investigation Department (exclusively reported by Daily FT on 14 December) against Bank of Ceylon granting a Rs. 100 million overdraft facility to Ameresekere in the last month of the previous regime.  The finance minster’s Memorandum when discussed at recent Cabinet meeting sparked heated debate.

“Karunanayake’s action is tantamount to seeking Cabinet approval to regularise part release of funds by BOC, doubts over which have already been raised with Bribery and financial crime authorities,” sources opined. 

“A decision is pending whether to investigate the complaint of the JVP politician with supporting documents which showed reservations expressed by Hilton Colombo’s owning company Hotel Developers Plc’s competent authority as well as qualified opinion by Merchant Bank of Sri Lanka in 2006. Despite that Karunanayake, seeking Cabinet approval for the settlement, exposes the Finance Ministry and the Government,” sources alleged.

Apart from the Rs. 100 million overdraft facility released by the BOC with Treasury backing in December 2014, as per Karunanayake’s cabinet memo, the BOC has further released Rs. 125 million to Ameresekere in June 2015. 

 This brings the payment to date to Rs. 225 million. The finance minister’s memo sought Cabinet approval to proceed with the full and final settlement of Rs. 300 million plus the interest i.e. Rs. 75 million more plus interest. 

Other sources however pointed out that Karunanayake was only formalising a matter that had been previously approved by the Finance Ministry as per an agreement that a previous regime and the Attorney General had entered into with Amersekere in June 1995.

As exposed in the 14 December Daily FT article titled “Hunter gets hunted,” independent analysts have pointed out that whilst Ameresekere’s efforts may have saved the State billions of rupees,  the larger impression created had been his litigation on Hilton issue had been in the public interest. The motive or intention of seeking compensation or the agreement for compensation had not been made public either previously. As per the MBSL’s report, the then regime had not enlisted Ameresekere nor encouraged him to go for litigation or promised compensation. Therefore any financial benefit recommended is solely in recognition of his endeavours and efforts in respect of such actions and assistance which had benefitted the Govt/HDL. Further the actions and efforts of Ameresekere had not only benefitted the government and HDL but also Ameresekere himself as a shareholder of Hotel Developers.

As per the 1995 agreement between the Finance Ministry and Ameresekere, the latter had asked for three Board seats on Hotel Developers but had eventually settled for one. 

In his memo to the Cabinet, Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake has said :Having deliberated the merits of Ameresekere’s total claim it appears that reaching a finalisation on this long drawn matter on the basis of a full and final settlement would be beneficial since HDLL could then proceed with its activities as a business enterprise, free from this long drawn compensation payment committed by Lalith Weeratunga, Secretary to the President Mahinda Rajapaksa. The value of the write-off and rescheduling of the balance by Ameresekere amounts to Rs. 86,750 Mn.”