| Troop
movements unhindered -govt The government said yesterday that
movement of troops and civillians in and out of Jaffna was taking place without any
hindrance.
An Information Department release said that Military equipment and other necessities
for the forces including food items were being unloaded both at KKS and Point Pedro
harbours continously.
Meanwhile troops operating ahead of the defences in Nagar Kovil area in Jaffna attacked
a terrorist bunker and killed four terrrorists who were in the bunker.
The government said troops did not suffer any casualties.
On Sunday troops attacked three terrorist bunkers in Meesalai,Poonar and Chemmani areas
in Jaffna killing nine terrorists.
LTTE continued to block attempts by civilians in areas under their control in the
Jaffna peninsula to move to the areas under the control of the Government. Instead LTTE is
forcing these civilians to move into Wanni. During the unilateral ceasfire declared by the
LTTE on 27th May 2000, a group of civilians were forced to move into Wanni by the LTTE.
Jaswant
Singh and President discuss war in Jaffna
by Zacki Jabbar
Visiting Indian Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh yesterday morning continued
discussions on the war in the Jaffna peninsula with President Chandrika Kumaratunga at
Temple Trees informed sources said.
Meanwhile EPDP leader Douglas Devananda has objected to Singh scheduling separate
meetings for yesterday evening with the TULF and other Tamil political parties.
The first round of discussions between Kumaratunga and Singh which commenced on Sunday
evening at Presidents House a few hours after Singh arrived in Colombo lasted for nearly
two hours .
On Sunday evening Singh held a one to one meeting with Foreign Minister Lakshman
Kadirgamar.
Thereafter he proceeded to Presidents House where he met Kumaratunga in the presence of
only Kadirgamar.
Later in the day Singh was hosted to dinner by the President.
Yesterday mornings discussions between Kumaratunga and Singh went on for nearly two and
a half hours and was attended by Kadirgamar , India’s ambassador Shiv Shankar Menon,
Sri Lanka’s ambassador in India Mangala Moonesinghe and senior officials from both
countries.
Singh was scheduled to meet Opposition leader Ranil Wickremasinghe at India House
yesterday afternoon after having lunch with Kadirgamar at his official residence in
Colombo.
Singh was scheduled to return to India last night after his meeting with the Tamil
parties.
Batty chides IMF
and multinational companies
By Kesara Abeywardena
Minister of Science and Technology Batty Weerakoon yesterday slammed the
multinational companies and the private industrial sector for what he discerned as showing
arrogance towards the country’s environment and energy needs.
"Private industries and multinational companies don’t care about our
environment and the environment of their countries," said the Minister addressing a
regional meeting on Financing Renewable Energy for Sustainable Development and Alleviation
of Rural Energy Poverty in South Asia.
At this meeting attended by delegates from SAARC countries and representatives of the
World Energy Council, Minister Weerakoon chided the IMF for dictating to developing
countries on how their energy needs should be met. "The planning and formulation of
energy policies should be done by the local experts according to the needs of the country
utilising their resources but the world bank dictates to us on how it should be
done," he said.
Minister Weerakoon maintained that rural energy needs should be met with resources
found in these areas on which he said adequate research has not been conducted by experts
so far. "Much research should be conducted in this area and technology should be
channelled to develop them," he said. He said that saw dust and paddy husk as a
source of energy in rural areas of the country.
He pointed out that the majority of rural energy requirements in the country are met by
firewood. "The forest cover of the country has dwindled from 70% at the beginning of
the century to 25% in the nineties," he said.
He added that a number of research papers have been produced by local researchers on
the use of firewood as a energy source. "One paper mentioned that it could produce
twice the hydro power generation in the country if properly cultured and effectively
used," he said.
He further said that 85% of the thermal energy required by the tea industry is
generated by firewood. He requested the World Energy Council to provide Sri Lanka with
technology and knowhow to reduce energy wastage and to refine the local technology used in
the rural areas for power generation.
Pradeep Chaturvedi Secretary General of the Indian Association for the Advancement of
Science said that since a massive 515 million people live below the poverty line in South
Asian countries, the energy sector should be developed in an affordable manner so that a
majority of the population will have access to better sources of energy.
He also referred to a statement by the UN General Secretary Kofi Annan who had said
that since a vast majority of the world population live in rural areas, cost effective
energy sources should be developed to enhance agricultural productivity.
GMOA to
begin protest campaigns in hospitals this week
by Himangi Jayasundere
The Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) will commence protest
campaigns in government hospitals islandwide this week "until all matters are sorted
out", a GMOA spokesman said yesterday. The doctors on Sunday called off trade union
action which was due to be launched yesterday. This course of action on the part of the
GMOA was following a former assistant secretary of the GMOA, Dr. S. M. S. Senadhipathy
being served a charge sheet by the Public Service Commission (PSC), on account of him
allegedly having furnished wrong information and misused government funds by withdrawing a
salary not due to him. However the spokesman pointed out that the payment which is the
salary of a grade two doctor was due to Dr. Senadhipathi in 1995 but due to delay on the
part of the government to furnish an official letter confirming this fact, he has not been
receiving his due payment. He further said that in a preliminary investigation held in
1998, the committee held that there was no fault on the part of Dr. Senadhipathi.
He alleged that focus on this issue once again was "victimisation", on
account of the doctor in question having been an active member of the GMOA.
Presently there are 1000 doctors who have not received their appointment letters and
1500 who have not been promoted to the next grade.
Meanwhile the GMOA is pressing for a number of demands. Secretary of the GMOA, Prasanna
Gunasena said that they have requested the government to provide all doctors with
appointment letters and their due payments and increments. "We have further asked to
stop victimising active member of the GMOA and pay all distress loans to those eligible to
receive them".
The GMOA is to begin its protest campaigns which will be held on and off this week.
Emergency services however will be maintained during this time a source said.
A spokesman for the Ministry of Health said that they have not been officially informed
of any strike action by the GMOA. He further said that the issue regarding the charge
sheet served on Dr. Senadhipathi was a subject concerning the PSC.
19,814 motor
offences in May, 1110 accidents
The City Traffic police and Traffic Branches in Colombo Police Stations had together
detected 19814 motor offences during the month of May as against 22294 for the same period
last year.
A City Traffic spokesman said that a drop in detections is due to traffic personnel
being engaged in numerous special duties during the month of May such as May Day and week
long Vesak celebrations.
During the month under review, 1110 accidents had been registered within the city of
Colombo compared to 1045 accidents for the corresponding period last year. Eight
fatalities had been reported as against 10 fatal accidents during the same period last
year. A decrease of two fatal accidents is shown. Out of the eight victims, seven had been
pedestrians, one a passenger.
Out of the 1110 accidents reported during the month under review, the highest number of
accidents have been recorded by Cinnamon Gardens (147), Maradana a close second with (123)
followed by Bambalapitiya with (109). Out of eight fatal accidents two were from Pettah
one each from Wellawatte, Cinnamon Gardens, Narahenpita, Kotahena, Maradana and Keselwatta
respectively.
3234 offences detected for the month were against drivers of private buses and 4806
were against drivers of three-wheelers.
Developing
countries deprived by glaring imbalances in global economy - Food Minister at ESCAP
sessions
Commerce and Food Minister Kingsley Wickremaratne told the 56th ESCAP sessions in
Bangkok last week that it was the responsibility of the international community,
particularly the developed economies to urgently address the glaring imbalances.
"Unless and until this is done, the process of globalisation will only sideline
and marginalise developing countries depriving them of its benefits", he observed.
He urged developed countries to provide meaningful and tangible market access for the
products of developing countries without which these countries will not be able to sustain
their development efforts by participating in the multilateral trading system. Tariff
peaks, tariff escalations and plethora of non-tariff barriers and extraneous elements have
been and are adversely affecting the exports of developing countries.
"Technical regulations, product standards, sanitary and phyto-sanitary measures,
anti-dumping rules, subsidy investigations and rules-of-origin imposed by developed
countries have emerged as a new breed of non-tariff barriers hindering market access for
exports from developing countries".
Globalisation, he said, meant integration into the global economy and included the free
movement of capital. It should now include the free movement of natural persons because
labour mobility, ipso facto, meant that developing countries, too, should benefit from a
high value-added global work-force. It was the responsibility and duty of the developed
countries to work co-operatively with developing countries to create an enabling
environment for meaningful globalisation. This process should be viewed as a boon rather
than a bane and a blight. To this end, developing countries have undertaken necessary
policy reforms that have been painful and politically unpopular.
"I am sorry to note that international institutions and developed nations are yet
to take supportive complementary policy measures to provide developing countries with the
opportunity to integrate into the global economy on a fair and equitable basis. Without
such measures, developing countries will not be able to reap the benefits of
globalisation", he added.
Contributions to
welfare fund of armed forces
The Rana Viru Surekum Ekakaya (RSE) of the Presidential Secretariat said yesterday that
all persons interested in contributing to the welfare of the armed forces could send in
their contributions to Secretary to the President, Human Intervention Unit Account Number:
0747-08-0000432-1, Bank Of Ceylon, Taprobane Branch, York Street, Colombo 1.
The Internet website, which has been established with the collaboration of the
Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry, is www.helpheroes.lk
Trained befrienders who wish to volunteer their services and the private sector
institutions who could offer employment to families of the combatants and the disabled are
requested to contact.
Training
needed to match youth aspiration with job opportunities - GL
Professor G. L. Peiris, Minister of Justice, Constitutional Affairs, Ethnic Affairs and
National Integration and Deputy Minister of Finance, who was the chief guest at the
inauguration of the Society of Certified Management Accountants of Sri Lanka on Saturday
at the Hotel Ceylon Intercontinental, said the establishment of the society was of
particular significance as it was of special relevance and topicality to present day Sri
Lanka.
The Minister adduced 5 reasons for this, the first of which was that it accorded fully
with the present priorities of the nation. He said with all the difficulties besetting the
nation at the present time, foremost among which was the war that had attracted global
attention, one unique factor that set Sri Lanka apart was the inherent and intrinsic
quality of human resources that we possess. One of the problems we face with regard to the
fulfillment of youth aspirations through the provision of employment was that, while the
quality of the education available was sufficient, it was of less utility and relevance to
the needs of the work place. When graduates discover that they are unable to secure jobs
this leads to indignation against the social order, he added.
This resulted in the youth insurrections that the country had experienced in the past
few decades. There is a mismatch between aspirations and opportunities available in the
social system. The answer was that training was necessary to enable these persons to find
employment which enabled them to earn a sufficient income and to live in their own country
with dignity. In this context quality professional education was a pressing necessity, he
said.
The proposed activities of the Society of Certified Management Accountants of Sri Lanka
(SCMASL), which includes providing instruction at relatively low cost, the programmes that
cover a wide spectrum from which many could benefit, provision of library facilities and
the opportunity to sit for exams while engaged in employment were all aimed at fulfilling
this aspiration.
The second point made by Minister Peiris that the programmes of the SCMASL permeated
the rural sector. This would ameliorate the inequity and divisions that existed due to the
wide gulf between the urban and rural sectors when it came to opportunity.
Thirdly, Prof. Peiris said that the emphasis on maintenance of ethical and professional
standards should be appreciated in a context where avenues of access were broad-based and
it was more difficult to maintain professional rectitude and sound practice than if the
profession was confined to a small elite. This is one of the problems with professional
life in Sri Lanka, he added.
Fourth was that Management Accountancy was necessary to invigorate the private sector.
He cited the former English Judge Lord Denning who has stated that the role of the
accountant in modern times was called upon to play a much wider role and that the
functions of the accountant had undergone a fundamental change. The Minister stated that
whereas the traditional view was that the accountant was a mere watchdog, the accountant
today was required to perform a much more creative function. The accountant must ascertain
whether the opportunities available to a business were being fully exploited. Management
Accountancy, which is an important subdivision of the accounting profession, is
responsible for charting the future course of corporate entities, he stated, adding that
it was a challenging function.
The Minister said that fifth was the global dimension that had been given to the work
of the SCMASL. He believed that there was no need to reinvent the wheel and that using the
experience of others suitably adapted to suit local conditions could be both productive
and beneficial. While Sri Lanka, through the efforts of the Institute of Chartered
Accountants of Sri Lanka, was a pioneer in establishing the regional South Asian
Federation of Accountants, no national Management Accountancy body had been created in the
country. He also acknowledged the assistance of the Government of Canada which was a
principal benefactor in this exercise. Adverting to the many international links forged by
the Society which was apparent by the many messages of goodwill received from professional
bodies the world over he said the global perspective given to the work of the SCMASL was
extremely valuable.
In conclusion Minister Peiris, who with Internal and International Commerce and Food
Minister Kingsley T. Wickramaratne and Canadian High Commissioner Ruth Archibald serve as
patrons of the Society, paid glowing tribute to the Founder President of the Governing
Council of the Society Professor Lakshman R. Watawala. Professor Watawala is an embodiment
of the spirit of involvement of professionals in matters of national importance, he added.
The Minister cited the diverse spheres of activity Professor Watawala had been engaged in
ranging from education, management, business promotion and the contribution he had made to
the development of statutory boards and corporations in Sri Lanka. Initiatives of this
nature owe much to the strength, dynamism and creativity of extraordinary individuals such
as Professor Watawala, he said, adding that he saluted the endeavour and wished the
society every success in the future.
The Minister then presented certificates of Founder Membership to those who were the
first to join the society. A special feature of the event was the presentation of 25
scholarships 5 each of which were named after Minister Peiris, Minister Wickramaratne and
the Canadian High Commissioner. Scholarships would also be made available to selected
categories of public servants, armed forces personnel and students needing financial
assistance.
Minister of Internal and International Commerce and Food, Kingsley T. Wickramaratne,
Canadian High Commissioner Ruth Archibald, Chairman of the Advisory Council of the SCMASL
G. C. B. Wijeyesinghe and Professor Lakshman R. Watawala also addressed the large
gathering. Ananda Wehella, Secretary of the Society proposed the vote of thanks.
Troops attack
on bunkers kill nine Tigers - Govt.
Troops attacked three terrorist bunkers in Meesalai, Ponnar and Chemmani areas in
Jaffna and killed nine terrorists on Saturday, a release from the Special Media
Information Centre said.
LTTE continued to block attempts by civilians in areas under their control in the
Jaffna peninsula to move to the areas under the control of the Government. Instead LTTE is
forcing these civilians to move into Wanni. During the unilateral ceasfire declared by the
LTTE on 27th May 2000, a group of civilians was forced to move into Wanni by the LTTE.
According to reliable sources, on that occasion LTTE had conscripted most of these
civilians forced into Wanni including females and school children and they are presently
undergoing military training to be sent to strengthen their cadre in the Jaffna peninsula
in the very near future.
Troops in ambush killed two terrosits at Cheddikulam, Wanni on 10th June and recovered
fire arms and a hand grenade along with the dead boddies of the terrorists.
Terrorists continue to loot shops and houses in the East for cash and food. In yet
another incident, on 10th June LTTE terrorists looted a boutique and a house in Selvanagar
area and took away cash amounting to Rs. 27,000, gold jewellery valued at Rs. 16,000 and
food items.
Serunuwara police are conducting inquiries.
Docs put off TU action
The Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) which earlier decided to resort to
trade union action and launch a protest in government hospitals yesterday, has decided to
call it off for another day during this week.
The protest action is a sequel to an action by the health authorities where an
‘unjust’ charge sheet has been served on Dr. S. M. S. Senadhipathy, an Assistant
Secretary of the GMOA.
The said charge sheet had been served by the Public Service Commission (PSC) and a
Health Ministry spokesman told ‘The island’ last night that it was a matter to
be settled between the GMOA and the PSC. "Moreover, this appears to be a personal
matter and I don’t think the GMOA will resort to trade union action", he added.
"Issuing a charge sheet to Dr. Senadhipathi was very unjust and it was really on
revenging grounds. Government wants to suppress the GMOA", the GMOA spokesman said.
Issuing the charge sheet was contrary to the recommendations of a preliminary
investigation conducted against Dr. Senadhipathi two years ago in connection with salary
increments, he said.
‘The investigation proved that Dr. Senadhipathi was quite innocent and it was
over: Yet the authorities wanted to get revenge for he stood against them in trade union
activities’
The GMOA urges the authorities to grant Dr. Senadhipathi’s due promotion and the
salary arrears without further delay.
"The GMOA considers this as a part of government’s suppression and will fight
against this," the spokesman said
He further said that they have some other demands in addition to Dr.
Senadhipathi’s issue. The GMOA wants the government to issue letters of promotion to
all medical officers of the Health Department to their due grade as early as possible and
to take steps to pay the medical officers their proper salary and due arrears.‘
"If the authorities cannot give solutions to these problems, we’ll resort to
trade union action this week", he said.
‘Police and
Court’ launched
by Kalinga Weerakkody
Newly appointed SSP of Trincomalee Attorney-at-Law Gunasena Thenabadu recently
launched his book named ‘Police and Court’ at the Sri Lanka Foundation
Institute.
This was his first book published for the new millennium.
The foreword of the book was written by Supreme Court Judge Ranjith N. M. Deeraratna.
Lecture on book review was delivered by former Judge of Court of Appeal, presently
legal advisor to Ministry of Defence Dr. C. Ananda Grero .
Supreme Court Judge Priyantha R. P. Perera and High Court judge Colombo Chandradasa
Nanayakkara were also present.
Procedure was conducted by senior lecturer Jayasena Kottegoda at the Kelaniya
University.
Professor George Cooray and Amal Jayawardana of University of Colombo and former Vice
Chancellor of the University M. B. Ariyapala were also present.
Retired DIGs’, lecturers and students of Law Faculty and Law College also
participated at this event.
Discarded old
tyres main source of dengue menace
by Indira Perera
Several measures to combat the menace of dengue which is on the increase in the
city has been implemented.
The chief medical officer Colombo Municipal Council (C.M.C) Dr. Pradeep Kariyawasam
told "The Island" that nearly hundred cases of dengue have been detected within
the past five months.
In 1999 the total number of cases detected had been the same. According to Dr.
Kariyawasam the most successful measure introduced by the C.M.C. to control the breeding
of dengue mosquito was to remove the old discarded tyres from the roof tops of slums and
roads.
A continuous work schedule has been carried out by the C. M.C. from the beginning of
this year on this issue.
At the initial stage the removal of these discarded old tyres were carried out on
Saturdays, but due to the irregularities in attendance of the scavengers the progrmme had
to be changed over to week days.
He added that the number of these tyres collected per day right from the beginning of
the programme amounted to 200 from the city. The tyres so collected are destroyed behind
the Mutwal cemetery.
Dr. Kari-yawasam added that according to the latest research work done on mosquitoes by
the Medical Research Institute (M.R.I.) Borella the dengue mosquito preferred a black
surface filled with water to lay its eggs, and in this respect, the water logged old tyre
provides an ideal breeding place for it.
The Chief Medical Officer told ‘The Island’ that earlier the collection of
waste tyres was made only on Saturdays, but now it was carried out throughout the week.
‘So far we have had no protests from the shanty dwellers, they know that we are doing
this, for their own good the doctor added.
OPASL
to celebrate 25th anniversary, 13th annual session
by Kalinga Weerakkody
The Organisation of Professional Association of Sri Lanka (OPASL) will celebrates
its 25th annivesery and the 13 annual session at the BMICH on June 23 and 24.
The President elect Gerald A. Hidelaratchi for the year 2000-2001 said this year’s
theme is Defining a Socio -Economic Deve-lopment Programme for Sri Lanka emphasising the
methodology for its implementation.
Explaining the theme, he said that each year we chose certain subjects for discussions.
From that delibrations of national interest being brought to governments’ attention.
The inauguration will be on June 23rd and Chief Guest will be Dr. Gamini Corea.
The technical session will be held on June 24.
The main objective of the OPA Annual Session is to focus attention on key issues of
professional concern and social interest. The session will provide a forum for a multi
disciplinary professional audience to discuss the relevant issues pertaining to a given
topic and thereby be in a position to develop suitable follow up action in that
connection. The session therefore, will serve as a vehicle to reach the consensus on
optimal strategies. |
