SAITM President wants all ministers to unite

The government faced intense heat from those protesting private medical education in the country. The Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA), backed by university students and their parents, in main, mounted its campaign leaving the ruling side in bewilderment. Street protests, students being teargassed and baton charged and condemnation of the alleged excessive use of force by the police became the order of day, and made headlines in several media.   

It became even uneasy for the govt when some Cabinet Ministers, namely Megapolis and Western Development Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka and Sports Minister Dayasiri Jayasekara also spoke for the abolition of the South Asia Institute of Medicine and Technology (SAITM). Their call was a shot in the arm for the GMOA and others clamouring for the nationalization of SAITM at any cost.   
On one occasion, Minister Ranawaka even called for a press conference to announce his stand. Minister Jayasekara also echoed similar sentiments to the media on and off. On the contrary, there were many other ministers appearing in support of SAITM.  

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• GMOA crippled health services leaving patients suffering from dengue in the lurch
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At the Cabinet meeting, Ministers Ranawaka, Jaysekara, Navin Dissanayake and Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe stood for a non-profitable trustee to run SAITM. Some of them pointed out that SAITM was conducting the degree programme with a huge profit margin. In fact, it was cited as three times higher than the actual cost. Besides, there were others who spoke for a Public Private Partnership model to operate the institute.  

It became uneasy for the govt when some Cabinet Ministers, namely Megapolis and Western Development Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka and Sports Minister Dayasiri Jayasekara spoke for the abolition of SAITM Medicine and Technology (SAITM)

Against this backdrop, President Maithripala Sirisena, having felt the pinch, intervened at Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting in this regard, and rebuked the Ministers expressing different views over SAITM. Instead, he stressed the point that all the Ministers should speak with one voice as the common position of the govt about the issue.   

Actually, Health Minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratne, Higher Education and Highways Minister Lakshman Kiriella and Social Empowerment Minister S.B. Dissanayake are the vociferous supporters of SAITM. In the joint Cabinet paper submitted last week by Minister Kirella and Dr. Senaratne, the govt sought to acquire Dr. Neville Fernando Hospital affiliated to SAITM to the govt. Besides, the govt decided to allow SAITM to offer fee-levying degree courses in medicine. Yet, its administration is proposed to be placed under a trustee.   

This, more or less, has become the stand of the government on SAITM though the GMOA and others call for its nationalization, come what may. All in all, the govt ministers, having dissenting views on the private medical institution, are compelled to fall in line with this stance. Be that as it may, the anti-SAITM lobby is not ready to settle for something less 
than nationalization.   

The GMOA flexed its muscles on the govt striking work on numerous occasions. The GMOA crippled the health service leaving patients in the lurch at a time when Dengue, the deadly viral epidemic is taking its toll in the country.   

It is clear that the govt is not ready for the acquisition of SAITM. Also, the GMOA has not spelt out clearly whether it would strike a compromise of its position with the govt.   

As nationalization is not the option contemplated by the govt in resolving this issue, there is still the possibility of the two sides locking horns sooner or later. In fact, the GMOA planned for the relaunch to continue strike action this week. Yet, it withheld the move for one week upon request by the Mahanayake Theras and the Cardinal. University students continue to protest in terms of constant demonstrations, boycott of lectures etc.   

The govt is in a state of confusion on this matter. The registration of MBBS graduates, passing out from SAITM, is now a matter pending with the Supreme Court to rule on. The govt awaits it. The ruling would have a bearing on the implementation of the govt’s policy on private investment in higher education. It has sought private sector involvement in the development of higher education. Already, a few foreign universities have expressed interests in putting up their branch campuses in Sri Lanka. It is learnt that these universities await the ruling by the Supreme Court on SAITM degree to decide on investment in Sri Lanka. Manipal University of India is one such foreign entity that sought to establish its branch in Sri Lanka. A plot of land has also been identified for the project in the Bandaragama area in the Kalutara district. However, the Indian authorities have instructed the university to wait for some time till the court ruling is delivered. Again, SAITM has become a turning point for the govt in shaping its future policy on higher education.   

Health Minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratne, Higher Education and Highways Minister Lakshman Kiriella and Social Empowerment Minister S.B. Dissanayake are the vociferous supporters of SAITM

President expresses disappointment on the performance of Anti-Corruption Secretariat At Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting, President Sirisena expressed his dismay over the failure on the part of the govt to extend the term of the Anti-Corruption Secretariat. He is reported to have said that there is a lackadaisical approach in dealing with cases of corruption.  

Striking a strong note of criticism on the performance of this Secretariat, he said he took a grave risk by defecting from the previous rule to contest the presidency at the election in 2015. He noted that he, along with Dr. Rajitha Senaratne and others, would have even faced elimination had  Mahinda Rajapaksa won the presidency for his third term. The President informed the Cabinet that his children would have also faced the same consequence in such a scenario. As such, he queried what the Anti-Corruption Secretariat did against those who planned such insidious things.   

According to the tone and tenor of his remarks, the President seems to fear political victimization in case MR gains upper hand in politics once again.   

In the event of the Rajapaksa group clinching power, he said nothing untoward would befall the United National Party (UNP) or its leadership, but he would face dire consequences. As such, he asked the Cabinet to be mindful of his possible plight in handling the current state of affairs.   

“If Mahinda Rajapaksa wins again, the UNP will have no problem. But, it would make a fatal blow to me. It has to be borne in mind,” he reportedly told the Cabinet.  

In the event of the Rajapaksa group clinching power, he said nothing untoward would befall the United National Party (UNP) or its leadership, but he would face dire consequences

Instead of netting those involved in mass scale corruption, he said action was taken on minor matters such as State Minister A.H.M. Fowzie using a vehicle and MP Priyankara Jayaratne giving employment to one of his relatives.   

The Secretariat was formed after the new government came in. It directed complaints to the Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID). The complaints were mostly against the members of the previous rule.  

There is a perception in the country that anti-corruption investigations have slowed in recent months. The President sounded that he was disappointed 
about this.