The majority of cabinet Ministers and Provincial council Ministers who serve as members of the National Health Council (NHC) were not present at the meeting where a decision had been taken to submit a cabinet paper to ban private practice for Government doctors, GMOA has claimed.
Only Prime Minister, Sirima Bandaranaike, Health Minister A.H.M. Fowzie, Minister S. Thondaman and Deputy Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi were present while 11 other cabinet ministers who serve as members in the council were absent, it says.
But the National Health Council Secretary , Dr. K.C.S. Dalpatadu said the subject of abolition of private practice had been taken up at several meetings earlier after being first taken up for discussion on February 27.
However, Dr. Dalpatadu admitted that 11 out of 15 ministers serving on the Council were absent on the day when the decision was taken on May 30.
A spokesman for the Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) commenting on this said that it seemed like 50 per cent of them who were present on that day were from the Helath Ministry, who had had many disputes with the GMOA and seeking an oppotunity to hit back on the doctors.
At the NHC meeting, Mr.Fowzie had briefed the other three members that very soon it would not be possible to provide employment in state health institutions for medical graduates who passed out annually, and that it was high time to encourage those who wanted to do only private pracitice.
He had also said it would be possible to retain the services of doctors who were willing to devote full time for state services without divided attention, and that this would ensure the provision of better services to the poor patients and to solve the problem of the intake of medical graduates.
It was also noted at this meeting that once the 200 medical graduates are taken in by September, this year, the approved cadre of Medical Officers will be filled and it will not be possible to accomodate the next years batch of medical graduates.
After these issues were dicussed a unanimous decision had been taken by the council which is headed by the Prime Minister, to submit a cabinet paper as early as possible.
However, the NHC secretary commenting furtheron the decision taken by the four members present at the seession, said that there is no quorum to hold the NHC session and that the average attendence in the past had been in the range of 5 to 7 members.
Meanwhile, The Sunday Times learns most other members who were not present at this meeting had objected to this proposal saying that it could create an irreparable upheaval in the medical profession.
But for now the GMOA seems to have calmed down with an assurance from the Prime Minister who had given an appointment to talk things over and probably come to an amicable solution. The matter is to be taken up with the Prime Minister on Tuesday.
Sri Lanka Apparel Exporters Association and other associations engaged in the garment industry have expressed their fullest confidence in the Industrial Development Minister C.V. Gooneratne and the Ministry for facilitating the allocation, distribution and management of quota without any interference in a completely transparent manner.
This has been greatly appreciated by the industry, according to a press release issued by the joint Apparel Exporters Association.
The release also states that they are appreciative of the government's support and co-operation in guiding the industry to expand into the rural areas and for the encouragement given to produce upmarket products which has shown results by the consistent growth of the industry.
"It gives me special pleasure to welcome you to India. You are the very first visitor I have the honour to host as Minister for External Affairs in the present government. The pleasure is redoubled by the fact that I am greeting an old friend. You are a valued interlocutor whose assiduous efforts to maintain the closest and most cordial relations with India have borne fruit. Your Excellency's personal contribution in this regard has been a marked one.
"The bonds between India and Sri Lanka are old, deep and abiding. They are based on common heritage of spirituality and moderation in outlook. The geographical proximity and age-old linkages have encouraged our countries to share an unbroken commitment to democracy.
"It is heartening to note that both our governments recognise that policies have to be rooted in the aspirations of the people. We can, therefore, build an enduring and great relationship founded on the goals of working for our people's interest in an atmosphere of friendship and cordiality, good neighbourliness and effective cooperation.
"Our interactions are intense and varied. People to people contacts provide a solid foundation for relations of friendship and good neighbourliness between our two countries. The Indo-Sri Lankan Joint Commission has played an important role to strengthen these multi-faceted interactions.
"In a wider perspective, regional cooperation has emerged as a major focus of foreign policy in South Asia. I would like to emphasize that our government is fully committed to effective cooperation in SAARC. In due course, we would like to extend the ambit of SAARC to other countries in the region, a goal which I believe is shared by Sri Lanka.
"The operationalisation of SAPTA now gives us the opportunity and indeed the responsibility, of pushing ahead for a more liberalised trading environment and effective economic cooperation to harness benefit from the very real complementarities of the region. Sri Lanka has been in the forefront of every endeavour to enhance economic and commercial cooperation. We place on record our appreciation of Sri Lanka's role in the evolution of SAARC.
"We in India have watched with great interest the unfolding events in your country. We admire the courage and determination which your government under the leadership of President Kumaratunga has sought to resolve the problems facing the country, particularly the ethnic strife. We recall the patient efforts to negotiate a peaceful end to the war. We are confident that your government will be advancing the peace process with clarity and vigour. The great task of reconstruction and renewal can then be taken up in right earnest.
"As a friendly neighbour, we continue to take a keen and sympathetic interest in developments across the Palk Strait. The restoration of peace in Sri Lanka would be beneficial to India as well, as we could not remain unaffected by events in your country.
"I take this opportunity to reiterate that India, as earlier, supports a peaceful negotiated settlement of Sri Lanka's ethnic problem. Permit me also to reiterate that India's foreign policy is based on the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries, and this will guide our approach.
"We appreciate your support for our endeavours in the United Nations. I assure you that our shares concerns and values would find reflection in India's actions within the world body. We do hope our two countries can work together in the democratisation of the Security Council and other tasks of restructuring of the United Nations.
"We have welcomed this opportunity to exchange ideas with you. We look forward to a further consolidation of the close and cordial ties that bind our two countries. Our shared ideas of peace, non-interference, and cooperation will hold us in good stead. The government and the people of India wish you and the Sri Lankan government all success in your endeavours to bring peace and prosperity to Sri Lanka. "
Colombo's acting Mayor Kanagasabai Ganeshalingam will take oaths soon as Mayor of Colombo with a promise to clean up the city but former Mayor Ratnasiri Rajapaksha has raised strong objections.
The 58-year-old accountant will be the 21st Mayor in the 130-year-old CMC. He is the fifth Tamil Colombo Mayor others being R. Saravanamuttu (1937), Kumaran Ratnam (1950), S. Sellamuttu (1951) and T. Rudra (1957).
Mr. Ganeshalingam was educated at Hartley College, Point Pedro and St. Thomas' College, Mt. Lavinia.
Mr. Ganeshalingam, in an interview with 'The Sunday Times' promised a cleaner city and a Municipality free of corruption.
He said that for the past two years the lack of a permanent Mayor had resulted in chaos within the Municipality and progress had been slow.
Meanwhile, former Mayor, Ratnasiri Rajapaksha has written to the Municipal Commissioner saying that the appointment of a new Mayor is illegal.
Mr. Rajapaksha, in his letter said that after he was removed from the post of Mayor he applied to the Court of Appeal for a writ of certiorari to quash the order.
"The Court of Appeal dismissed my application on June 5 and I have filed a special leave to appeal application against the said order. The application is pending before the Supreme Court and all parties are aware of this.
"Actions taken to remove me as a Mayor and/or to appoint any other is necessarily consequent to an order of the Commissioner. Since the order of the Commissioner is to be reviewed by the Supreme Court, in my view, I still remain Mayor and the appointment of any other Mayor is illegal and unlawful," he states.
The Government Analysts Department (GAD) which had solved thousands of puzzling mysteries of murder and suicide, is hit by a lack of experienced scientists.
A top offical told 'The Sunday Times' that there are six vacancies which have not been filled for the last three years. The low salaries and unattractive perks do not entice the best, he added.
"The Forensic Department, which employs these scientists, receives as many as 3000 cases a year, and is able to give preference only to cases taken up in courts," the official said. Last year a total of 3400 cases were received of which the department was able to report an only 2600.
The figure is low but compared to the previous year's 2300, it shows progress with fewer resources. The present cadre is between 40-50 people and including only a handful of scientists.
The official said that with all these shortcomings the department had for the first time reported on 12,000 cases last year, a landmark for them.
The other key institutions which contributes to solving murders and criminal activities, is the Forensic Department of Medical Faculties. But Professor Nandadasa Kodagoda said that there are only nine doctors with consultancy status in this field for the entire country. This he said, is due to various reasons, like lack of awareness of the subject and the common perception that there is no scope in this field.
He says that to become an expert in forensic medicine at consultancy level, one would need further study at post-graduate level. For example, he said that with forensic medicine one could tell the entire history behind a bone.
In one of the most tragic accidents of the year three including a 10-month infant were killed and nine injured when a train hit a stalled van at an unprotected railway crossing at Diyagala near Ragama yesterday.
The driver of the ill-fated van, who apparently panicked when his vehicle stalled in the middle of the railway crossing had jumped off the vehicle and run away leaving the passengers to their terrible fate. The driver was arrested later.
The dead were identified as Shannet Garrot (10 months), her brother Michael Garrot (4 years) and Richard Devi Christopher.
The vehicle which was hit by a Colombo bound train was thrown about 20 yards and villagers who rushed to the scene found two children who had been thrown away from the van. Two others were removed from the overturned vehicle after it was put back on its wheels.
Among those in the van were a couple who had returned from Australia two days ago. Earlier in the day they had visited some relatives in Nugegoda and Negombo and were heading to the Diyagala Boys Town when the tragedy occurred.
An eyewitness Roshan Hettiarachchi, a Ceylinco Insurance field officer who had been following the vehicle over a long distance told 'The Sunday Times' what had happened. "I was following the vehicle over a long distance but the driver never made way for me to overtake. I noticed that those in the vehicle were in a joyful mood and were eating pineapple. As we approached the unmanned crossing I heard the sound of the train. They too would have heard it.
"Despite the sound of the train the driver of the van went ahead. I had doubts whether the driver would be able to proceed, but I thought that since it was a brand new vehicle he would be able to cross over before the train," he said. "But to my horror what I saw next was that the van was in the middle of the rail track and the driver was running. With this the train hit the van and the vehicle was thrown away," Hettiarachchi said.
Residents in the area told 'The Sunday Times' that there had not been a barrier at this crossing for several years since the man in charge of operating the barrier also was killed in a train accident. The barrier had been removed following his death. A three-wheeler and tractor had also met with accidents at this location earlier and many others had reported near mishaps or miraculous escapes at this crossing.
The Royal Walk '96 will be flaged off by former President J. R. Jayewardene from Royal Junior Grounds at 8.30 a.m. today.
The walk would be followed by the Mini Carnival which starts at 10.00 a.m. which will go on till 11.30 p.m. with many attractions such as kiddies entertainment, trade stalls, games of skills, outdoor entertainment etc.
The finale would be a full scale musical show named "Royal Walk Beat" which starts at 6.30 p.m. at the Navarangahala Hall with the country's leading popular artistes from the Western and Eastern musical arena. Fifty disabled soldiers have been invited as our special guests of honour.
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