Dr. Neville throws party to celebrate swindling of students!

Thursday, 11 September 2014 

 

A liquor party was thrown on Binara full moon poya day to celebrate the 100% increase in the course fees at the South Asian Institute of Technology and Medicine (SAITM), the private university of Dr. Neville Fernando at Malabe, reports say.

Family members of Dr. Neville and SAITM staff held the party at Cinnamon Bay Hotel in Beruwela. Organizers of the party were SAITM’s administrative head Himali Jayatilake, daughter of Dr. Neville, and her husband, Dr. Mohan Jayatileke, and Dr. Neville’s secretary Shyamini.

The expenses for the party came from the corporate social responsibility (CSR) account of SAITM, which comprises donations by various institutions. It is illegal and anti-social to spend such money on parties, various persons have pointed out, but to no avail. They have pointed out that the money in the CSR account should have gone to provide drinking water for the drought hit people across the country. However, the money was used on a petty purpose.

The reason for the party was that the Rs. 6.5 million course fee per student was doubled to Rs. 12 million. The chairman of Sri Lanka Medical Council Prof. Carlo Fonseka has vehemently objected to this unjustifiable increase. SAITM has ridiculed and rejected this opposition by a leading personality in the Sri Lankan medical field.

Dr. Neville started SAITM for the objective of granting a medical degree at reasonable fees to students who lose opportuty to enter medical college. However, it is today heartlessly and unwarrantedly charging exorbitant fees from the students.

Dr. Neville has been able to gain University Grant Commission permission to the degrees by SAITM due to his close connection with higher education minister S.B. Dissanayake. It is well known that for that, Dr. Neville has given a special treat for the minister, and has separately treated engineering services minister Wimal Weerawansa, UNP MP Sujeewa Senasinghe and north western province chief minister Dayasiri Jayasekara.

In addition to the 50 million US dollar loan obtained from the Bank of Ceylon to build SAITM, the institution has spent a massive amount on the abovementioned politicians. Hence, the institution has had to raise its fees 100% in order to continue functioning.

Anyhow, the SAITM’s medical degree is yet to be recognized by the health ministry, Sri Lanka Medical Council or the doctors association. When questioned about that, SAITM says that since it has applied for WHO’s permission, its students will gain the opportunity to serve across the world. But, the WHO does not grant such permission to educational institutions.

Await a detailed report on how SAITM has treated politicians and the actual situation at the institution.