Minister Kiriella Must Know A Thing Or Two

By Shyamon Jayasinghe –March 3, 2016

Shyamon Jayasinghe

According to Derana (3/3/16), Higher Education Minister Lakshman Kiriella had been nasty and uncouth to a journalist who questioned him with regard to his controversial order to Head of the political science department at the Kelaniya University to appoint a lecturer to the University. The report states that the Minister had claimed he had the authority to direct the VC on a matter like this. He had castigated the journo in “unprintable language” and reminded him that the journo is simply a guy with a pen in his hand.

I am hoping the Derana report isn’t correct because I am one those who wrote relentlessly against the abuses of the Rajapaksa regime. January 8th was a great day of relief to writers like us,too. Everybody who has read theColombo Telegraph columns knows my stand on this.

There are many things dead wrong about the Minister’s alleged behaviour. Bravo to FUTA for having put its foot forward and cried foul when Kiriella gave the direction. Lakshman Kiriella must know that the kind of order and direction he can give the University Board has necessarily to be restricted to general policy matters touching on government policy. He has no right to give directions relevant to the day-to-day running of Universities. If he doesn’t know this he should resign and hand over his portfolio to someone more intelligent. Kiriella should ask himself a test question: If the Minister can give directions regarding an administrative act then what is the whole purpose of University autonomy? Universities all over the world get this autonomy on a platter. Every University has its own culture. Universities are esteemed and dignified places of learning and research.

Kiriella also states that the person he had recommended was “qualified.” Let us accept that for the moment. But what about other potential candidates for such a position? If they are far more qualified what should a University do? And what is the plight of the more qualified candidate who was rejected? This is far far away from Yahapalanaya. It is very close to the Marapalanaya, which the people rejected at the polls twice in succession.

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