Eight years since Lasantha’s murder

Jan 08, 2017

Founding editor of ‘The Sunday Leader’ Lasantha Wickrematunge was murdered eight years ago to this day, but investigations into the killing are not at all satisfactory, said former editor of the newspaper Mandana Ismail at a remembrance event at Borella Kanatte today (08).

The ‘Yahapaalana’ government’s promises to ensure justice for the slain and attacked journalists do not seem to happen, she said. Ismail said she believed the ‘Yahapaalana’ government would conduct investigations in a stronger manner. Prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe should recall what he said in parliament as the then opposition leader with regard to Lasantha’s murder, she added.

 

The people’s victory of January 2015: Reflections on the state of the nation 

Monday, 9 January 2017

Maithripala Sirisena, elected the sixth executive President of Sri Lanka on 8 January, was the victor over a highly popular and seemingly invincible opponent. Nevertheless, it was a victory of the people of Sri Lanka, as President Sirisena himself has often said. It became a people’s victory because the battle was between a political ideal and a personality.

The people’s victory of January 2015.docx by Thavam Ratna on Scribd

President, PM vow to continue National Govt. despite friction

• Sirisena insists there will be no link with the Joint Opposition and declares war on the Rajapaksas
• Ranil also insists UNP should continue to work with the SLFP despite fresh disputes over new Constitution and major projects such as the Hambantota port

By Our Political Editor-Sunday, January 08, 2017

President Maithripala Sirisena vowed Tuesday to continue the alliance between the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and the United National Party (UNP).
He told a special meeting of SLFP ministers that he would have no truck with former President Mahinda Rajapaksa or his supporters within the party. These ministers were summoned after the weekly ministerial meeting to be told of his plans for 2017. Sirisena who completes two years in office today, enters the third from tomorrow.

His remarks come as friction between the SLFP and the UNP continued to develop. New issues have cropped up over the proposed Constitutional changes as well as a deal with China for the Hambantota Port. Policy decisions on Tuesday by the SLFP ministers prompted an indefinite postponement of the debate in Parliament on a draft Constitution. It was scheduled from tomorrow till Wednesday. Last Thursday, President Sirisena directed Development Strategies and International Trade Minister Malik Samarawickrema not to sign the Concession Agreement with the Chinese firm, China Merchants Port Holdings Company Limited, on January 7 (yesterday).

President, PM vow to continue National Govt. despite friction.docx by Thavam Ratna on Scribd

Dilip Hettiarachchi challenges saboteurs to come to Hambantota - Arjuna demanded a bribe of Rs. 300 million instigates strikes !

 (Lanka-e-News -07.Jan.2017, 8.00AM) ‘We are commencing the Hambantota development program on the  7 th . If anybody wants to sabotage that , he/she can come and try’. While Dilip Wedaraachi   a State minister representing Hambantota was throwing  this challenge at saboteurs  , Minister Rajitha Senaratne , the minister of fisheries and cabinet spokesman too  announced that the preliminary agreement pertaining to the Hambantota Port development is being signed today (07)  . After the agreement is  prepared ,the approval of the cabinet and Parliament shall be obtained . Thereafter the agreement will be signed , the cabinet spokesman revealed.  

Meanwhile a discussion was held between prime minister (P.M.) Ranil Wickremesinghe and former speaker Chamal Rajapakse yesterday (06)  before the Hanbantota Sangha Nayakes . The P.M. gave answers to the questions raised by Chamal before the Sangha Nayakes. The P.M. made it abundantly clear the story that 15 000 acres of land of Hambantota are going to be acquired is an absolute lie. It is only 1200 acres of land of Hambantota district will be utilized for this project , and that has already been identified as  waste lands of the government . Besides there  are no private lands belonging to individuals or of archeological value coming  within that area, the P.M. explained.

It is a well and widely known fact that it is  Ports minister Arjuna Ranatunge and Ports chairman Dhammika Ranatunge his brother who are inciting the ports employees to stage protests. By organizing   meetings at various divisions of the Port and incited  the employees were incited  by saying , like how the port trade unions united to chase Arjuna  out , now they must all unite to agitate  to ensure that the Hambantota Port is not handed over to the Chinese.

Arjuna has also told them  they must join with those of the  Joint opposition . The agreement for the management of the Hambantota port with the Chinese Co. must  be signed by the Ports authority .It is learnt that Arjuna as minister and his brother have demanded Rs. 300 million as kickback in this connection. Ranatunges have also demanded that out of that sum , Rs. 200 million shall be received by them in dollars.

It is unfortunate  Arjuna and his brother could not succeed in their sordid moves and motives aimed at lining their pockets  because the committee appointed by the Cabinet was entrusted to carry out  the responsibilities.  Naturally after having failed in their favorite ‘game’ the duo is determined to sabotage this agreement.  

The committees of the main  trade unions of the Port –the SLFP committee  , UNP committee and  ‘the independent’ committee have expressed their consent . Their view is, by trying to rescue the crumbling debt ridden Hambantota Port out of funds of Colombo port the latter  is being imperiled. Hence it is best to make China to shoulder the Hambantota burden  , and halt Colombo ECT being handed over to a foreign Co. This is the request the  trade unions are therefore  making.

 The trade unions which are staging protest now at Arjuna’s request are only the trade union of the JVP and the trade unions which were created by Arjuna after he became minister.

---------------------------
by     (2017-01-08 01:54:43)

Folk Tales & Fairy Tales

By Sarath de Alwis –January 8, 2017

Sarath de Alwis

Anniversaries are important. They help us recall events of history associated with experiences that hold some resonance and meaning for us. Anniversaries subject us to merciless, unforgiving scrutiny of hindsight. Hindsight is good at pointing to where we erred. It helps us to learn the truth about what we thought we knew. Yet, it does not tell us where we should go. So, these are meandering thoughts. Power can be good. Stupidity is harmless. Together it is a catastrophic.

Living with pipedreams, unheeding events unfolding in a surprisingly different manner and pace not anticipated has a crippling cost. On 8^th January 2017, two years after the event, we arrive at the terrible discovery that what was bad before has become worse. Readers should forgive the folksy approach in identifying the main characters of this narrative.

This is the second anniversary of dislodging autocratic ‘Appachchi’ and entrusting the care of our land to a soft spoken ‘Gamarala and an all knowing Mahadena Muththa.’ Early in the business, Mahadenamuttha assured us that his word was as good as a sovereign bond.

We live in a new age of folk tales. Readers should forgive the folksy approach in identifying the main characters of this narrative. We hear tales of Volkswagens, ‘Senocking’ at the door of progress, promising plenty.

The pumpkin carriage carrying vestal virgins of good governance to the grand ball of Mr.Clean will have wheels made in Horana by the phantom owner of the Mariette hotel. Apparently its courtyard accommodates an oil well that pumps Dollars. The earlier story was that the Dollars of the illusive phantom were those stashed away by Appachchi and his clan. Now we know better. BOI stands for Bogus Offshoring of Investments.

The original Mahadenamuththa had five ‘Golayas’ henchmen. Indikatu Pacha was needle shaped. Pol be Moona had a face that resembled a half coconut. Kotu Kithaiya was thin as a stick.  Puwakbadilla was Areca-nut had a brain the size of an Areca-nut. Rabboda Aiya was fat and was the matured of them all.

At this point it is necessary to assert the ‘all persons are fictitious disclaimer’. All characters referred to herein are imagined by this writer who according to his shrink is nearly bonkers, overtaken by remorse for voting for the common candidate on 8^th January 2015. In today’s reality, at the age of seventy four, going insane is the wise option. So, any similarity to actual persons or events is purely and absolutely coincidental.

Let us survey the world of contemporary Mahadenamuththa. Needle sharp Charitha is the trusted ideologue. Pasky   the fixer sporting the grin of a half coconut is good at scraping. Stick like stickler is calling cops to prevent arrests. A one stop super shop for milking is buddy badilla’s dream. Rabboda aiya squats on standing orders, ever willing to defend the indefensible.

This is a conversation about sanity and madness. It is about our politics and governance gone mad. What is crucial in this conversation are the values and judgements of people whom we entrusted with governance in January and August 2015. For the purpose of the rest of this essay, sanity is presumed to be normality and madness is identified with abnormality. Something abnormal has happened with the reorientation exercise of the national airline.

In July 2016, a wholly owned subsidiary of the National Savings bank – The NSB Fund Management Co., Ltd solicited expressions of interest from parties to reorient the national carrier Sri Lankan airlines. It is best to be precise. The circulated document informed prospective bidders interested in reorienting the airline [whatever it meant] as follows.

“We request interested parties to respond with their Expressions of Interest (‘EOI’) via e -mail by 4pm Sri Lankan time on August, 24th , 2016 to the below contact. A hard copy of the EOI, is also to be couriered to the below address thereafter. NSBFMC will contact shortlisted parties who have expressed an interest in the Transaction to discuss the process further.”

The dead line was subsequently extended by a few more weeks. The EOI further informed the bidders the following. “To ensure that the Transaction is executed in a timely and efficient manner, NSBFMC has appointed a team of advisors. BNP Paribas (“BNPP”) and KPMG (“KPMG”) have been appointed as the Financial and Transaction Advisors, while FJ&G de Saram (“FJGS”) and Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy LLP (“Milbank”) have been appointed as the Legal Advisors. KPMG has retained Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (“CAPA”) as technical and market specialist for this Transaction. The Attorney General’s office will overlook the interest of NSBFMC and GOSL in relation to this Transaction. For any enquiries on this Invitation for EOI and the process, please direct your questions via email to the NSBFMC contact below, who will then contact you directly or arrange for one of the advisors to contact you.”

On the same day 23^rd July 2016 Minister Kabir Hashim explained the logic of the invitation for bids to reorient the national carrier. The Sri Lankan tax payers had paid out 80 million dollars (about 11.7 billion Sri Lanka rupees) to bailout state carrier Sri Lankan Airlines which has been making losses since ex-President Mahindra Rajapaksa reversed a privatization, he said. The 80 million dollar subsidy had only managed to   cover “oil and old bills”.

The Deputy State Enterprises Minister Eran Wickremeratne said though it was considered a nice thing to have the Sri Lanka flag flying through a national carrier ordinary citizens who never travelled by air were paying for it every time they went to the shop (kadamandiyata yanakota) to buy goods through sales taxes.

We do not know how many serious proposals were received by the NSB fund management handling the transaction. No doubt with the help and assistance of the team of advisors consisting of BNP Paribas, KPMG, FJ&G de Saram and Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy LLP together with the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation the lead manager would have evaluated all bids and shortlisted the final three bidders who were to meet a cabinet subcommittee.

Who are the three finalists vying to manage our national airline? The Sunday Times of 4^th December 2016 provides the information.

The Sunday Times reported that the shortlisted parties will be spoken to by a committee appointed by the Cabinet. Depending on the outcome of the meetings, a recommendation will be sent to the Cabinet Committee on Economic Management (CCEM). The parties short listed are Super Group Partners, Peace Air and Texas Pacific Group or TPG.”

Earlier on, I warned readers that this is a conversation about sanity and madness. One of the three shortlisted bidders is Peace Air owned by a Sri Lankan businessman Gamini Weththasinghe. His airline ‘Peace air’ has no Air Operators Certificate from the local civil aviation authority. Wikipedia lists Peace Air of Sri Lanka as one of Asia’s defunct airlines.

Peace Air Sri Lanka is one of three finalists shortlisted by this government that excels in good governance. His bid document contains an introduction by the Late Governor of the Western Province Alavi Moulana who describes Mr.Wettasinghe as the son in law of the daughter of the late William Gopallawa former Governor General and later President. Credentials that may have surely impressed the professional consultants hired by NSB fund management. There follows a synopsis of the offer – titled ‘The offer at a glance. Dear reader, you are again reminded of my earlier warning. In a world gone made the sane run the risk of being branded as insane.

Please read on Page VI of the first bid document:

“Srilankan Airlines engaged Nyras, a British Aviation Consultancy company, which recommended to create a New Zero Debt Balance Sheet. This is accepted by us. We will pay the Full Amount of US $ 1000 Million towards this Debt to the Government of Sri Lanka GOSL to create a debt free Srilankan Airlines and Mihin Lanka Airlines.

Willing to Buy up to 70% of Shares in Srilankan and even 90% of Shares in Mihin Lanka Airlines and buy 100 % of Shares in Srilankan Catering Facility. We Offer a further sum of US$ 250 Million for both Airlines and Catering Facility.”

The Bid offers to increase the Fleet up to and in excess of 50 Air Craft. The new destinations it hopes to add will include 5 destinations in Africa, 5 destinations in Australia, 5 destinations in China, 10 destinations in India, 5 destinations in Europe and 6 destinations in Asia/ Far East. These Flight Operations will create the Desired Hub and Sri Lanka will become a Mass Tourism Destination. The bid document suggests that ‘Lufthansa Consulting’ and ‘PrivatAir’ will Corporate with PeaceAir in this venture.

Read More

A RESTRICTED SELF-SERVING ASSEMBLAGE RUN GOVT AND POLITICS

2017-01-09

Former Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke had said “The world will not wait for us”. Yet, our institutions are weak, imperfect and badly managed. The staff is poorly motivated. They are continually under-paid, less trained and therefore incompetent. As a result, the ‘good governance’ had taken a back seat.   
In Canada, integrity is considered important for parliamentarians. They are required by law to “maintain public confidence and trust in the integrity of parliamentarians” and to “place the public interest ahead of private interest”. UN insists that democratic institutions need to be strengthened to achieve sustainable development.   
Our politicos during the last few decades, having captured power, deceived the masses. Abused powers to advance their narrow interests. They had ensured that the laws, institutions established for the prevention of corruption are muzzled. They have engaged themselves in egregious levels of corruption. They have diverted state funds for personal benefit and outwitted the donors. Former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan once said “Good governance is perhaps the single most important factor in eradicating poverty and promoting sustainable development”. It is only in a democracy that people can be empowered to demand and shape better policies, express grievances, seek justice from abuse and hold leaders to account.   
However, they do not promote building partnerships with civil society. They disregard the welfare of citizens. They failed to implement policies to achieve economic growth and development. It is most opportune to make a sincere effort to ensure efficiency and effectiveness in all projects, programmes, institutions etc., while striving to strengthen the culture of democracy between the rulers and the ruled. The failure to establish good governance, would not enable us to strengthen democratic institutions, ensure efficient service delivery to the citizens, establishing rule of law and strengthening of anti-corruption network in the country.   
In the Millennium Declaration at the UN, world leaders, including those of Sri Lanka, affirmed their commitment to promote democracy and strengthen the rule of law and to uphold human rights and fundamental freedoms including the right to development. Furthermore, it had resolved that “Good governance is essential to the realization of all human rights, including the elimination of poverty and ensuring of satisfactory livelihood for all”.   

"Unlike Sri Lanka; India, South Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Taiwan, China and Thailand have recorded unprecedented growth during the last several decades. China particularly had been successful in achieving double digit growth"

President had emphasised the need to put “the country and the people first”. Shouldn’t all the politicians resolve firmly to fulfil the noble goal. The President while addressing the Nation said that they were not masters and that they were the servants. How many of our politicians think similarly? They have even forgotten that the people are their paymasters. President in an interview also said that the prefix “His Excellency “should not be used. He added that he be referred to as “Mr. Sirisena”. He announced that he would also not use the Presidential Mansion, including the one in Colombo and that he had also revoked the order placed by the previous regime to purchase an aircraft for Presidential visits overseas. As the saying goes “Humility is royalty without a crown”. Could we expect that from parliamentarians too? Don’t they like flamboyance at 
State expense?   

Why are the greedy parliamentarians asking more and more hungrily that they need additional perks and benefits to ‘serve the country’? Shouldn’t we now start searching for more capable, witty, genuine law-makers, who could think “the country and the people come first”? Couldn’t we find better people to do more for less? A Sri Lankan who had been resident in Australia for nearly three decades told me that “the first task of the PM, who had been the Leader of the Opposition for many years, should be to make sure citizens’ lives are improved daily, because if citizens did not see improvements, their enthusiasm for supporting the government vaned”. He added “The citizens are involved to strengthen democracies. In Australia, the government prefers involving people to help make it work better”. In short, he said “Australian system ensures giving voice to the voiceless”.   
The lack of accountability has led to gross abuse of public resources. There must also be new laws to strengthen the right of the citizens to hold their representatives accountable if in case they do not deliver the promises made and if they do not govern the country well. The country should be free of domination by a few, particular political families. Room should be provided for discussions based on what is good for the people and the country. These are challenges that need to be addressed if the government need people’s support and approval.   
All these are needed because transparent decision making could serve as a safeguard against corruption, waste and abuse of power. They should bear in mind the President too acknowledged that the victory saved him from going six feet under. Did most Sri Lankans ask for “a change of pillow to cure a headache”? If the former President had attended to the other priorities, having ended the 30-year war, he could not have been defeated! We need realistic outcome. It is important that the present rulers too should remember that unless their mind set is changed and if they too generate negative outcomes (only reward themselves), their days too will be numbered.   
Universal adult suffrage had been introduced in 1931, in Sri Lanka, which is unequalled in Asia. Voting age was reduced to 18 in 1959 and this too had been done at least a decade later in several western countries. Lee Kuan Yew considered Ceylon as a model owing to these achievements in social, political and economic sectors. Prior to 1978, Sri Lanka experienced a change of government at almost every election. This had been turned upside down with the Constitutional changes, (the so-called ‘home-grown Constitutions) introduced having repealed the Soulbury Constitution.  

"The lack of accountability has led to gross abuse of public resources. There must also be new laws to strengthen the right of the citizens to hold their representatives accountable if in case they do not deliver the promises made and if they do not govern the country well"

Owing to these, increasing ethnic unrest created a sharp decline in ethnic relations and harmony. New Zealand, Denmark, Finland and Sweden have been consistently ranked at the top as the least corrupt countries. Strong commitment towards anti-corruption of political leaders, freedom of the press, openness and effectiveness have been crucial factors towards their success. These issues therefore need to be addressed with an open mind in the interest of all communities. How did the government fell far below expectations? According to the World Bank, “Strong, efficient and transparent government institutions are fundamental to economic growth and social development”. What is the missing ingredient from all the analyses? GOOD LEADERSHIP.   
Unlike Sri Lanka; India, South Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Taiwan, China and Thailand have recorded unprecedented growth during the last several decades. China particularly had been successful in achieving double digit growth. Hong Kong and Singapore have achieved per capita incomes well above even European countries.   
An economic miracle has transformed their lives thanks to the leaderships they have had in those countries. Economists have opined that their success had been due to the emphasis on education, training, investments, heavy reliance for exports to meet global standards etc. Why are we called a developing country from time immemorial? Since independence, the governments had failed to achieve its multiple goals and did not do what is supposed to be doing?   
Priorities should now be changed and all necessary steps should be taken to improve good governance with people-oriented programmes. Former PM Dudley Senanayake, another UNP stalwart himself, had once said “creating an Executive President by consolidating extensive powers in one individual is disastrous”. Furthermore, the 1978 Constitution created a weak Parliament. Parliamentarians lost the independence they had enjoyed previously under the Donoughmore, Soulbury and 1972 Constitutions. They cannot independently decide even the vote now. They could be thrown out if they disobey the party leadership. Is it happening?   

The confusion that JR had created and how it had been further worsened by the successive Presidents is a depressing story. Biased systems favourable to politicians have caused distorted relations between the State and citizens. It has been reported that the government incurs heavy expenditure around 22% of our GDP to maintain excessive number of Ministers, Deputies and State, including all their numerous perks, their fleet of super-luxury vehicles, other benefits etc., unlike in other countries for ostentation. This is a crime. Internationally, this should not exceed 7%. Millions of people thereby, have been deprived of schools, roads, hospitals, medicines etc.   
Culture of impunity too has destroyed this country. Corrupt politicians ‘scratch each other’s back to hold on to power. This is the reason why even the present President howls stating “Nobody can topple this government. This government will go through its full term”.   
 A UN report says; ‘The people are the owners of the government’. It also says ‘Parliament should be the true voice of the people. Accountability to people they serve is the basic plank of a democratic system’. It had added ‘People have the right to be involved in decision-making at all levels and in all dimensions’. We should now promote governance that is effective, legitimate and responsive to deliver unique benefits to the citizens.   
A top civil servant in Australia had said that “We recognize direct participation of citizens to govern Australia well. We ensure greater stability, facilitate people’s well-being and manage education, health, environment, energy issues etc., better with citizen involvement. It is essential to harness the ideas, knowledge, wisdom and skills of the other sectors too, including professionals, leading businessmen, academia, and even voluntary organizations”. He had added “Failure to engage them would lead to waste of public resources, inefficiency and disorder”.  

When a Governor speaks like a Governor.....

Central Bank Governor Dr. Indrajit Coomaraswamy

Monday, 9 January 2017

When a Governor speaks frankly, the market responds positively

When a Governor of a central bank speaks like a Governor, he is sure to receive two types of response. His candid speech will build private citizens’ confidence in central bank actions which in turn helps the Government in power to attain its growth objectives. But it could also anger his political masters if they are just concerned with short-term political gains and not about long-term sustainable economic achievements.

When a Governor speaks like a Governor.docx by Thavam Ratna on Scribd

India opposes Sri Lanka’s bid to shape ETCA to suit political exigencies

By P.K.Balachandran - 07th January 2017

COLOMBO: Negotiations between India and Sri Lanka on an  Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreement (ETCA) hit the hard road at an officials-level meeting held here on January 4 and 5.

Informed sources told Express that the Sri Lankan side was pressing the Indians to make certain concessions explicitly to enable it sell the pact to the Sri Lankan masses who tend to imagine that ETCA would be a rank give away to the Big Brother across the Palk Strait.

The Indian side resisted these moves on the grounds that trade pacts are too serious, too far reaching and wide-ranging in their impact to be tailored to suit short-term political requirements.

However, the Sri Lankan side had good reasons to pursue a political goal.  Even as the talks were on in the city, posters against ETCA, describing it as “aggression”, appeared in parts of Central Colombo. At any rate the Sinhalese language slogan “ETCA EPA” (No to ETCA) has caught the imagination of the people.

With the opposition, led by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, backing the anti-ETCA campaign, the pact is expected to be an issue in the forthcoming local bodies and provincial elections scheduled for June-July and September  respectively, unless it is tailored to suit the electoral agenda of the ruling coalition.

But tailoring it to an electoral agenda might mean India’s giving in to Sri Lanka in ways which could adversely affect the interests of its own private sector. This aspect has to be borne in mind as the primary driving force in the liberalized Indian economy is the private sector.

There were differences over priorities. The Sri Lankan side lay great stress on correcting the flaws or removing the irritants in the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) which became operational in 2000. The Sri Lankan side has been seeking the removal of a plethora of Non Tariff Barriers (NBTs) which impede the entry of Sri Lankan goods into the Indian market. Sri Lankans feel that if the NTBs are not there, the trade gap would not be as big as it is now.

But the Indians have had difficulty in removing many of the NTBs. Or, as the Sri Lankans allege, they have been tardy and reluctant.

At any  rate, Indians think that pegging the signing of ETCA to removing the flaws in the FTA is neither warranted nor practical because the two are different kettles of fish. FTA is about trade in goods while ETCA is about investment, services and economic cooperation. It is to be a re-designed    reincarnation of the now abandoned Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CEPA).

At official level trade talks, the minutiae tend to get a lot of attention. Discussions take place over every sentence and paragraph and the order in which they are written. It is said that the Sri Lankans wanted some things to be stated not only in the introductory statement but also in the main body of the agreement as a clause which the Indians resisted.

Above all, there were differences over the time period to end the negotiations and sign the pact. Not having been able to sign it by December 2016 to time with the second anniversary of the Sirisena regime, the Sri Lankans wanted the talks to be wrapped up fast by mid 2017 before the local bodies and provincial elections. But the Indians would not be hustled as trade talks are complicated affairs and take years to conclude internationally.

India was not averse to holding meetings often, say once in a month, but it was against rushing through as both sides have vital interests to be safeguarded or pursued. As the Indian Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said  during her visit to Colombo last year, both India and Sri Lanka have concerns, interests and issues to address, and that India is not in favor having a strict timeframe to wrap up the talks.

While no date was fixed for the next round of talks, it is likely that the next round could be held in February.

The Angoda Mental Hospital Case rebuttal

January 7, 2017, 5:15 pm 

I wish to draw your attention to the above article published in the Sunday island of January 1st 2017 and present my perspective on it as a psychiatrist, in order to prevent any misleading information about me and the National Institute of Mental Health, Angoda,where I serve as a consultant psychiatrist. It is my duty to inform the public about the story titled, "The Angoda Mental Hospital case……". I strongly believe that I have a right to reply as my name has been cited in the article, penned by un unknown author. However I will not go into details about the said case as I have an ethical duty to protect the patient’s confidentiality. Nevertheless I strongly object to and deny erroneous and malicious allegations leveled against me and the institution I serve, in the said article.

Rigorous Training

I have been working as a consultant psychiatrist for over 20 years in this institute. I have been certified as a specialist in the field of psychiatry by the post graduate institute of medicine in Sri Lanka, after five years of local and foreign training and passing the relevant examinations, also engaging in activities of continuous professional development. I also wish to state that I have been the president of The Sri Lanka College of Psychiatrists, which is the highest professional body with regards to the specialty of psychiatry.

Furthermore I am a member of the board of study in psychiatry over 17 years and the present chairman of the board. I had been the director of the National Institute of Mental Health for over 14 years and have made many significant changes to improve the quality of services provided by the institute to patients and their families. As a result I have managed to change the institute from a custodial hospital where patients and their families did not have much rights or dignity to a more humane and rights based acute care hospital. As a result of this achievement the National Institute of Mental Health was awarded the Health excellence award in all occasions and I was also selected as the second best director in a tertiary care hospital in the country in 2008.

On several occasions, the Rotary club of Colombo recognized my dedicated services rendered to Sri Lankan society. My service to mentally ill patients in this institute was recognized by the WHO Sri Lanka as well as WHO headquarters in Geneva. I was awarded ‘The Director of the Best rapidly changed mental health institute in Asia’ by the Asian College of Psychiatrists.

The person (referred to in the article) Mr. Harsha Thilakasiri was admitted to the hospital on the 10-09-2016 after having taken an overdose of his medication. This patient was admitted to my unit by the duty medical officer around 6 p.m. The patient was admitted by one Mr. Lankendra Thilakasiri(younger brother of patient) and he has signed as the guardian of the patient and one Mr. Chandana Ranasinghe as one of his friends. There had been similar kinds of episodes in his past since 2013 and he had been a patient of mine in the private sector. This patient was admitted under the Mental Health Act as an involuntary patient and prior to the expiry of 12 hours he was examined by the next senior level doctor who also has training in psychiatry for more than five years. Due to the continuous risk of suicide and significant foreseeable risk to self and to his mood, after explaining the diagnosis and the risks and benefits of alternative treatments available for this kind of conditions, we decided to commence a course of electro convulsive therapy.

We believed that this kind of patients would benefit quickly from this therapy after considering merely the clinical factors with my expertise in clinical psychiatry. The medical officer had also requested to keep a bystander, preferably a relative, for this patient. Furthermore, I strongly disagree with the statement that I have ordered electro convulsive therapy to satisfy a politician or an engineer. During the course of his stay in hospital, the treatment team had contacted his father, brother and girlfriend on several occasions and discussed about the management as well as how to manage him in society. I need to highlight that all the family members were very supportive of the treatment procedure and did not show any displeasure towards me or the treatment team regarding the treatment procedure. By September 20, the patient got well and he was mentally fit to be discharged to the community to stay with his parents. According to the policy of the hospital, the patient was sent on leave to his parents and subsequently reviewed on several occasions before ultimate discharge.

Unfortunately he has not reported for his clinic appointment regularly. Instead it appeared that he had gone to the media to criticize his treatment procedure. It appears that the patient, his family members, politicians as well as media personnel are not able to understand his illness and as a result all appear to be in a "confused" state and spreading rumours in an unwarranted manner. There are always people interested in exploiting the mentally ill. Having a vast experience in treating patients with mental illness and by knowing rights of the mentally ill population and as a person trying to upgrade mental health services in Sri Lanka it is an insult to me to state that I have acted in the way how the politicians want me to treat patients.

An equal chance

It would have been better - as we often see and read in other news media -if inquiries had been made of medical aspects of a presentation of a patient, an equal chance should be given to the medical practitioner and the specialist to express his or her specialized view as well. I too respect dignity, equity, fairness and justice as any other person in this country, particularly which your paper is apparently fighting for. In my concluding remarks I would like to mention that my experience of working for more than 20 years in serving as a psychiatrist in SL, is that when there is a difficult patient, difficult diagnostic issues, difficult management issues or when a politician is involved the media tends to sensationalize rather than investigate every aspect if the story. In my opinion, that’s what we expect from a Right To Information Act.

This (publication) has resulted in damage to my reputation as a psychiatrist which I have managed to build over years by treating most under privileged but most deserving members of Sri Lankan society. Please be kind enough to give the same publicity to my letter as you have given the article titled ‘The Angoda Mental Hospital Case’

Dr Jayan Mendis,

Consultant Psychiatrist,

Founder Director,

National Institute of Mental Health,

Angoda, Sri Lanka.

52 arrested, 21 remanded after Hambantota clash

Saturday, January 7, 2017 - 22:30

Police have arrested 52 people over the clash that took place in Hambantota this morning when crowds gathered to protest the opening of the Sri Lanka – China Logistics and Industrial Zone (SLCLIZ).

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and Chinese Ambassador Yi Xianliang opened the SLCLIZ this morning and security was stepped up in the area with Anti-Riot squads coming in from Colombo in anticipation of dissent.

A court order was also issued yesterday barring demonstration or protest in selected areas and against 26 selected people including Hambantota MP Namal Rajapaksa to ensure the opening of the SLCLIZ went without a hitch.

Despite these measures, protestors converged in Hambantota however and clashed with each other and the Police, hurling rocks and injuring over 20. Tear gas and water cannons were used to ease the situation.

Police have vowed a crackdown on perpetrators and 52 have been arrested in the aftermath of the clashes. They were produced in court and 21 and have been remanded.  Police say special operations are continuing to arrest other troublemakers. 

      

Maharaja employs 5 photographers to sabotage media briefing of ministers ; gives instructions hourly

(Lanka-e-News -07.Jan.2017, 8.00AM) During the media discussion with the participation of  Finance minister Ravi Karunanayake ,and strategic development and foreign trade minister Malik Samarawickrema on the 5th held at the finance ministry , the media chain of Kili  Maharaja employing five cameramen had sought to sabotage the discussion , based on reports reaching Lanka e news inside information division.

It was the aim and objective of Kili Maharaja to provoke and annoy  the ministers by asking irrelevant and unnecessary questions continuously , and thereafter to publicize those  in diverse ways to the detriment of the ministers.

Kili Maharaja has summoned Siripal (Siripala) Wanniarachi and Shevan Daniel two of his henchmen in his list who are the prospective candidates at the next elections for Matara district under the flower bud symbol , and instructed them to unrelentingly question Malik (not Ravi) so as to annoy and provoke him .Unscrupulous nitwit Siripala who is dictated by greed for post and positions  ,and  has no love for the country or knowledge regarding the country or the world has like a mechanical robot done exactly what he was scripted to do – unrelentingly asked the same question . 

Siripala had also enlisted the assistance of  another group of journalists as well as another journalist ,  of a private media organization who is a bosom friend of his.

Anybody viewing the video footage would confirm this dastardly and foolhardy questioning  of Siripala who was asking the same question continuously despite Ravi Karunanayake too warning him to stop asking the same question , and permit others too to question. Yet , since Siripala alias Sillypala the scripted robot was keeping on asking the same question , both ministers terminated the discussion and walked out .

Siripala who returned to Braybrooke place news office after the media discussion , had met Shevan Daniel and exclaimed,  ‘I gored Malik thoroughly . I gave him some superb punches’. Thereafter both have met Maharaja , and discussed how the news must be distorted to suit their own ends , while also instructions were given to provide Siripala with all the facilities  and perks. 

Sirpala at the discussion had made a request  to provide him with the necessary assistance and facilities to start the membership drive for the ‘e media association  ’ started by him after splitting the 30 years old parliament media association into two. Kili has agreed to provide the funds to offer bribes necessary  to lure journalists to Siripala’s association. That means parliament journalists will be receiving bribes from Maharaja in the future . Already journalists of SL are  well noted for their venality . Hence Siripala can  take advantage of this situation. 

Kili Maharaja these days is fully preoccupied with the Sirasa media programs interfering in those hourly leaving aside his business activities.  It is Kili Maharaja who finally decides on the interviews with the ‘Tigers’on the Sirasa channel. Consequently , when producers summon individuals for television programs , at the last moment they are axed , and others are made to participate . This is because Kili at the last moment gives   instructions to the producers to take somebody else in place of the original individual selected for the program, with the result the producers are driven into dire straits.

By providing electronic waves belonging to the public to racketeers and wheeler dealers without investigating their background and their suitability  , the entire electronic media structure of Sri Lanka has been plunged into doom and gloom. 

What Maharaja does is , exploits  his  media chain with a view to enlist  the  necessary political support in order to selfishly advance his business interests. His villainous obnoxious  policy is to attack the politicos who do not extend support to him and his sordid agendas , and boost the image of those who back him . It is also  a  well known fact  that another electronic media chain owner on  the other hand is engaged in laundering the illicit earnings of his heroin businessman brother .  Yet another electronic media chain uses its media   to save  and safeguard   the illicit monies invested in the stock market . 

To expose  the details and rotten ‘pedigree’ of these rascals and scoundrels , a separate report needs to be published.

This  tragic situation in the country is engendered by   the sale of  the rights of the electronic waves belonging to the people to henchmen and scoundrels having not even the basic eligibility or suitability , and without probing their backgrounds when they are commencing  a private  electronic media .Sadly  , the conditions in the agreement under which the rights to electronic waves  are secured , are not being fulfilled currently.

For instance , there is a condition that a specific  amount of its air time  shall be devoted towards education . Such conditions are never followed by the present media chain rascals and villains. It is significant to note  they are violating the rights of the very public they have vowed to serve. To regulate the electronic media , an independent Commission is therefore  imperative. 

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by     (2017-01-08 01:47:38)

Geological Survey DG faces sack for opposing ministers’ sand mining racket

Jan 08, 2017

Various quarters are threatening director general of the Geological Survey and Mines Bureau Sajjana de Silva after he cancelled the permits of those who had mined sand from Yan Oya project in violation of permit regulations. 

The Bureau on July 28 last year started issuing permits after the Central Environmental Authority, Departments of Archaeology, Irrigation and Wildlife Conservation, Anuradhapura district secretariat and Horowpothana divisional secretariat carried out surveys. Forty of the licenses issued were cancelled on November 04 due to a legal issue with regard to the ownership of the 4,000 hectare sand deposit among institutions under the Environment Ministry. Later, the Bureau took steps under proper procedures on November 27 to issue only 27 permits.

 

The mining was to take place under the supervision of the Bureau, but the permit holders as well as outsiders had invaded the sand deposit in violation of the conditions. On December 31, mining was suspended until such time permits are issued to ensure that the state gets its due income. After that, the DG is coming under threat by various quarters.

 

There is information that a politician from Colombo and a ministry secretary are behind those threats. When contacted, the director general of the Bureau confirmed having received such threats, and said he would resort to legal action against it.

 

In the meantime, environment ministry secretary Udaya Seneviratne has written to the Bureau’s chairman, telling him to remove the DG from the position. Chairman of the Bureau Dr. Kithsiri Dissanayake said he had not been told to remove the DG. He said he has received a letter telling him to make the appointments in a more organized manner. He said the present DG is in the position in an acting capacity. While the relevant act clearly states that the subject minister has the responsibility of appointing or removing the DG, it is highly suspicious that the ministry secretary has acted against that provision. The subject minister is president Maithripala Sirisena.