.

Thonda's resignation 'unthinkable' says CWC colleague

A UNP demand that Mr. S. Thondaman resigns his ministry following the defeat of his votes on Friday was rejected outright by CWC MP P. P. Devaraj as "unthinkable".

Mr. Tyronne Fernando the UNP's parliamentary group whip said yesterday that Thondaman should resign. That is the convention, he said.

Fernando was responding to the question whether Thondaman should continue as Livestock and Estate Infrastructure Minister. Mr. Thondaman himself was away in the Uva and not available for comment. But Mr. P.P. Devaraj, a CWC MP, said that the attempt "to subvert long standing parliamentary conventions was rather unfortunate."

Asked whether Mr. Thondaman would resign, he said "it is totally unthinkable. There is absolutely no purpose or meaning behind such an action."

The UNP statement too did not ask for Mr. Thondaman's resignation although Mr. W.J.M. Lokubandara had said on Friday night that the minister must resign.

Devaraj said that while any MP had a right to move an amendment to the votes of a ministry, adequate notice had to be given. That was only sensible because the minister must have time to consider the implications of such amendments.

The deputy chairman of committees had held the amendment out of order and it was conventional to abide by such ruling by the chair. But the UNP had done otherwise. amendments dealing with tender procedures cannot be brought during the Appropriation Bill.

The UNP said in a statement by Mr. Tyronne Fernando, MP, that Mr. Pathirane who wasn't able to muster the strength to pass the votes or at least be present in the chamber at the time had begun to make various charges.

"When the UNP brought certain amendments to the votes of Messrs. Dharmasiri Senanayake and Ratnasiri Wickramanayake, those ministers were willing to debate the matters raised. Therefore there was no need to press for a division.

"The UNP brought an amendment to Mr. Thondaman's votes because a proposal to sell estates running at losses without cabinet or tender board approval was included therein. The minister was not willing to accept the amendment or debate it. We pressed for a vote for that reason and no other," the statement said.

"We took this step because we value the national interest above individual considerations." (FRS)

Desperate cry from former Army Commander

General G.H. de Silva, a former Army Commander, "in sheer desperation" went public on what he said were "injustices perpetrated against me" with regard to allegations concerning the re-moval of movable property from "Gene-ral's House", the Army Commander's official residence.

The general said that he had written to the Army Comman-der, Defence Secre-tary, Foreign Secre-tary and the political and military hierarchy asking for an impartial inquiry. But no inquiry had been held to date where he had been called upon to defend himself on the various allegations made against him.

"It is over two years and three months since the first letter was written by the Army Comman-der, and it is over two years and seven months to date since I have been deprived of my gratuity and pension," Gen. de Silva has said.

Saying that reports on its matter have been appearing in various newspapers, the latest being the Sunday Observer of Nov. 22, he said that some time in September 1996 after he had retired and was serving as High Commissioner in Islamabad, he received a letter from the army commander.

"This letter alleged that a checking of the inventory of `General's House' has been carried out by some officers without my knowledge or participation, or that of my family, while I was already functioning as High Commissioner in Pakistan.

"The Army Commander's letter further alleged that several deficiencies have been identified by those officers. Since I was in Pakistan and I did not have access to any documentation relating to the contents of this letter, I was prevented from commenting adequately on the unilateral inspection carried out and the matters contained in the Army Commander's letter."

President helps save 5-year-old

David Poollocks, a child of approximately 5 years of age was born with a three chambered heart. Open heart surgery in South India corrected this, but in the course of the surgery, damage was caused to his windpipe.

This had to be corrected and could not be done in any Asian country. The parents were undaunted and kept on trying to raise the funds to take the child to the United Kingdom. Finally, with the help of a Sri Lankan cardiologist at Glenfield Hospital in Leicester, concessionary rates were obtained to carry out this reconstruction surgery.

Even so sizable funds were required for travel, hospitalization, surgery etc., an appeal was made on behalf of this child to the president for assistance from the President's Fund. Her response was quick and magnanimous.

The parents have now come back to Sri Lanka with the child who is now leading a normal life and can go to school for the first time.

The parents will never forget the President's gesture as long as they live, they said.

Island Capers
Howzatt!

Ceylon Tobacco boss Gottfried Thoma kept a straight face and warmly shook Minister Batty Weerakoon's hand when he last week accepted a National Quality Award on behalf of his company.

Guests were amazed that the minister chose to take the stuffing out of the tobacco industry at an event to which the Ceylon Tobacco Company had been invited to receive an award bestowed by the minister's own Sri Lanka Standards Institution. And after that he presented an award to a cigarette manufacturer.

These things happen only in this blessed isle, an onlooker wryly commented.

Arjuna in disguise?

Sri Lanka's cricket captain Arjuna Ranatunge has been sprouting a beard lately and Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar who invited the skipper and his lady for a farewell dinner to the departing Australian High Commissioner said that Arjuna was in disguise.

"But he's going to shave it off before going on the Australian tour," promised the minister who gave cricket considerable attention in is before dinner speech.

High Commissioner David Richie who's going to be Canberra's Deputy High Commissioner in London, wished the Sri Lankan cricketers good luck in Australia though he understandably stopped short of wishing our boys victory!

'Sick note campaign' by nurses over recruitment of pre-pupil nurses

By Kalinga K. A. Weerakkody
The Public Ser-vices United Nurses Union (PSUNO) is poised for a two-day islandwide 'sick note campaign' on Wed-nesday (16) and Thursday (17) in a move that could paralyse work at all government hospitals.

The Union is demanding that the recruitment of nurses as 'pre pupil nurses' be stopped as it's not giving them the appropriate and re-quired training.

PSUNO President, Ven. Muruthethettuwe Ananda Thera told "The Island" yesterday that the normal training period for nurses is three years in Nursing Training School (NTS) while they have their practicals in hospitals. But in this case, the new nurses who will be recruited by the government will have only three weeks training in (NTS) and will directly be attached to government hospitals.

For these nurses as well as for patients, this will turn out to be tragic because the training period is so short there is nothing that they can learn, he claimed.

Referring to a statement issued by the Health and Indigenous Ministry that the (PSUNU) which remained silent when the UNP Government recruited 5,000 trainee nurses, is now unfairly threatening to resort to trade union action against a cabinet decision made by this Government to recruit trainee nurses to meet the dearth of nursing staff. The thera pointed out that when President Premadasa was in power he recruited a certain amount of nurses from poor families under his theme 'give shelter to the poor'.

That was some time ago and as a result of that we are today well aware of the problems these nurses are now in. That's why we are requesting the government not to employ trainee nurses to hospitals till they get an appropriate training but instead, to affiliate them to Nursing schools and provide them with three years training, he said.

He added that the normal procedure is to first have examinations and then conduct the interviews. But in this case health authorities have first interviewed the newcomers and secondly held the examinations. From this it is very clear that this whole procedure of recruitment is on the basis of political affinity, he charged.

To discuss the demands the Union is scheduled to meet the Health Minister on December 14.

International Medical College to be set up here

by Zacki Jabbar
An International Medical College with an in-house teaching hospital, the first of its kind in Sri Lanka, will commence its first semester in October next year, a member of its Governing Council, Dr. Asoka Jayasena said.

The project located on a two and a half acre site at Narahenpita costing an estimated Rs. 300 million plus has already received Board of Investment (BOI), approval and legal clearance from the Attorney General's Department, Jayasena said.

"Students passing out of our medical college will be awarded degrees by the world renowned Aberdeen University in the United Kingdom with whom we have tied up. Our governing body includes Dr. P. R. Anthonis, Prof. Rizwi Sheriff, Dr. C. G. Uragoda (who will be the Dean) and Dr. Geethanjana Mendis. Senior professors from Aberdeen will form part of the teaching panel with the various departments being headed by Lankan medical specialists," he added

Asked if they have encountered any opposition to setting up the Medical College, Jayasena said he does not envisage any problems because the GMOA itself has not objected to it.

"The GMOA has said that as long as we don't involve the government machinery and our students are not included in the same merit list of the Medical Faculties they have no objection".

He said that opposition to the NCMC and its eventual close down was due to it using government hospitals for training purposes while their Medical College will be using their own teaching hospital as well as private hospitals.

"Another reason for the NCMC to close down was because it awarded the same medical faculty degree. Whereas we are offering foreign degrees. Further, our students will be treated as foreign students requiring them to sit for the Act 16 examination conducted by the Health Department if they want to practice medicine in Sri Lanka," he pointed out.

Jayasena said that the idea of setting up an International Medical College initially occurred to him and Dr. Geethanjana Mendis, after seeing the large number of Sri Lankan students who have to go abroad for medical studies at tremendous expense because they are unable to find a place in state medical faculties.

"We have found that only 0.5 per cent of the students wanting to study medicine and gain admission to the medical faculties. This has resulted in about 300 students going abroad each year for medical studies. We are offering a five year medical degree course for less than four million rupees. This is much less than in England where tuition alone will cost about eight million rupees or an Indian degree which would cost over 4.5 million rupees"

Jayasena further pointed out that students of International Schools in Sri Lanka wanting to study medicine have to go abroad for higher studies. But with the setting up of the International Medical College they could obtain foreign degrees while remaining at home.

"They will not only be saving money but the country will also not lose valuable foreign exchange. In addition foreign students coming here will bring in much needed foreign currency" he added.

The students he said will be selected by the Aberdeen University. The minimum requirement being one A and 2 B's at the London Advanced Level or for students sitting the local Advanced Level the minimum requirement to enter government medical faculties stipulated by the University Grants Commission.

Meanwhile the Deputy Director of the BOI Tuli Cooray said he was unaware of an International Medical College being set up.

"We received an application from an organisation calling itself the Institute of Medical Studies in Sri Lanka for the setting up of an International Hospital which has been approved" he added.

Leader Publications claim one million as damages from Minister Mangala

Leader Publications (Pvt) Ltd has claimd damages in a sum of rupees one million counter suing Minister of Posts, Telecommunications and Media Mangala Samaraweera, the plaintiff in two defamation suits instituted against the newspaper.

The defendant newspaper firm has brought this claim in reconvention in filing answer by way of preliminary objection to the Minister's plaint through Samararatna Associates.

The newspaper pleads Minister Samaraweera has failed to identify in his plaint the specific words which he alleges are defamatory of him and the plaint does not, therefore contain the particulars required to be specified under the relevant section of the civil procedure code.

Admitting that only the newspaper article headlined "Risque Business on the card" contained in the document filed with the plaint was published in the "Sunday Leader" of June 21, 1998, the defendants plead it was published without malice and in the bona fide belief that its contents were true about a matter of public interest in discharging a duty they owed by the public to keep them informed.

The article contains statements of fact true in substance which constitute expression of opinion. They are fair comment made in good faith and without malice on matters of public interest.

In further answer the defendants claim the Minister is not a person of repute and more particularly because of the following reasons.

* He has wrongfully, unlawfully, immorally, unethically and in abuse or in excess of ministerial powers used and/or condoned the use of funds of Sri Lanka Telecom for personal benefit or for political activities.

* The Minister Samaraweera by his own conduct and utterances made evident to the public he is a person of unsavoury character not worthy of respect.

* He has not instituted the action bona fide and to obtain relief for any wrong he has actually suffered or which he honestly believes he has suffered but has, on the contrary, instituted the action maliciously and vexatiously due to his malice, hatred and spite towards the newspaper and its Editor, Lasantha Wickrematunge.

This attitude of Minister Samaraweera towards the newspaper and its Editor was evidenced among other acts by a speech he made in Parliament in which he referred to the newspaper editor under the cover of absolute privilege as a "hermaphrodite" from the slums of Kotahena."

The defendants further plead that it is, in order to fraudulently and dishonestly hold out to the public for his personal and political gain and to their (defendants') detriment, the Minister claims the newspaper article in question was false, malicious and fabricated.

Counter suing the Minister, the defendants plead that he has instituted the action maliciously and vexatiously to secure an ulterior objective which has caused loss and damage to them assessed at Rs. 1,000,000 with legal interest. In the circumstances an action has accrued to the defendants for a claim in reconvention.

The defendants have further prayed to dismiss Mr. Samaraweera's action and to enter judgement for the recovery of the sum claimed.

In the Minister's plaint claiming damages in sums of Rs. 300 million, each, from Leader Publications, Mr. Lasantha Wickremetunge, Mr. Lairaj Wickremetunga (Publisher) and Mr. L. A. N. Ratnasiri who are cited as defendants.

Human Rights Day marked by protests in North and East

by Franklin R. Satyapalan
International Human Rights Day which fell on last Thursday was visibly observed in the North East of the country with processions, picketing, fasts and prayers in temples as a mark of protest against human rights violations, residents said.

The functions had been organised by Tamil Political parties, Human Rights Organisations irrespective of their political differences.

The EPDP organised a fast at the back of the Nallur Kandasamy Temple with party activists councillors and over 3000 men and women. Those who participated had resolved at the meeting that the ethnic issue could be solved and peace be restored through a reasonable political package. Negotiation towards their objective should be initiated with the help of a facilitator.

PLOTE organized a demonstration with hundreds of party activists and members of public carrying placards through Jaffna's streets.

The procession ended at the main bus halt where a demonstration was held.

Jaffna District Human Rights Federation organised a Black head band protest opposite their office where thousands of activists from the 17 affiliated organisations donned black head bands and demonstrated.

All these organisations sent a memorandum to United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan, UN Human Rights Organisation and the foreign diplomatic missions in Colombo, where they explained the Human Rights violations on Tamil people.

In Batticaloa there was picketing in town opposite the Mahathma Gandhi statue.

In Trincomalee there had been a fast organized by TELO at Sivan Temple.

A bouquet for Puggy

Industrial Development Minister C. V. Gooneratne has drawn a compliment from the son of the man who compiled the Sinhala/English dictionary who knew his schoolmate's facility in English but didn't know that "puggy" (as the minister is known to its friends) was equally agile in English.

I was quite amazed and proud of the command you displayed in the Sinhala language," wrote Vijaya Malalasekera who regarded CVG's speech at the recent Royal College Colours Awards day as "brilliant".

What struck me most was the content of your speech where you indicated that all levels of life we have to learn to play the game - most so in politics."

Said Malalasekera "If you can carry this message forward you will not only have 14 followers (CVG led the Royal Rugby 15), but many millions!!"

Indian draftsman sees new angle on life through triangles

by Amal Jayasinghe
COLOMBO - An Indian draftsman claims triangles help him predict the future and bring fortune to firms, but has so far gone round in circles in his quest for a scientific explanation to his theory.

The triangles of the pyramids and the Sri Chakra, an eighth-century Hindu symbol which represents the god Shiva and goddess Parvathi, are a virtual crystal ball for 39-year-old R. K. S. Muthukrishnan of India's Tamil Nadu state.

Now a full-time triangle researcher, he is visiting Sri Lankan temples and ancient sites as part of a study into the angles common to the Egyptian pyramids, the Star of David and the Sri Chakra.

Muthukrishnan says he stumbled on the similarities while working as a draftsman and now finds he has a sixth sense to see triangles in the names of people and interpret them to predict the future.

"I am not a soothsayer," Muthukrishnan says, insisting his line of work is not astrology. He calls his work "anthrobiometrics" and his business card describes him as a researcher.

He also has an Internet homepage, http://www. kode. netforesee/fractals/, where visitors are shown a reproduction of the Chakra as well as press clippings on Muthukrishnan's predictions.

Muthukrishnan points out that the Sri Chakra has nine triangles - five in one direction and four in the other - and the angles of 51 degrees coincide with the angle of the Great Pyramid at Giza.

He says a three-dimensional view of the Sri Chakra would show a striking similarity with the pyramids. The triangles are "receptacles of cosmic energy" and could have a bearing on human destiny, he says.

The more he looks at pyramids and the Chakra, Muthukrishnan says he is able to look at a person's name and translate it into triangles. The angles could give an insight into the person's past, present and future, he said.

He says former Miss India Pamela Bordes, who rose to notoriety with a colourful life in London, had her troubles disappear after she took his advice to adopt her maiden name Singh which gave better vibrations.

He claims to have predicted the 1984 assassination of Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi.

In 1991 he had spoken to local reporters about her son, Rajiv Gandhi, being threatened by a woman. Gandhi was killed by a woman suicide bomber shortly afterwards.

He maintains his work is a science that involves triangles and the vibrations from the names - an inspiration he has drawn from the Sri Chakra.

"I can't really explain how I do this," says Muthukrishnan. "That is why I need some help from scientists to find out about what I have stumbled upon."

He has written to universities and research institutions in the West seeking help, but has got nowhere in his search for a scientific basis for the theory on triangles.

He is also awaiting help from Egyptologists.

In the meantime Muthukrishnan has turned his intuition into a successful career, raising cash for individual predictions and drawing up personal logos with customers' own triangles to bring good luck. - (AFP)

Gaya Cumaranatunge dies

The death occurred of Gaya Cumaranatunge in London, after a brief illness was 63 years of age. He was a senior member of the former Ceylon Civil Service and the Sri Lanka Administrative Service. He was known to be one of the most outstanding, fearless, illustrious, efficient and loyal public servant, who had an independent mind of his own.

He held several important positions. He was an Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Trade and Shipping.

He was the youngest Principal Collector of the Sri Lanka Customs, he held this position for a long time.

Gaya Cumaratunge After his last appointment in the Public Service, as the Deputy Secretary of the Treasury, he assumed duties as a Director of the Asian Development Bank, Manila. He also had functioned as a Director on a number of Boards, including Air Lanka.

He was the Chairman of the Foreign Investment Advisory Committee. He was also the Chairman of the Presidential Tariff Commission, who was responsible for advising the government on fiscal policy and tariff reforms.

After his return, on retirement from Manila, he functioned as the Chairman of the Public Sector Infrastructure Development Company (PSIDC) which position he held to the time of his death. He was also invited to function as a Director of the LOLC.

He leaves his wife Lakshmi and two sons Chandima and Milinda.

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