News

‘Health Minister’s arbitrary sacking of SLMC president, members violated all accepted norms’

Published

5 years ago

2020/12/13

by Steve A. Morrell

Two eminent professors who served as presidents of the Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC) at one time lashed out at Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi for arbitrarily dismissing Prof. Harendra de Silva, the head of the regulatory body and four other members of the council on “unfounded allegations”.

“The SLMC has now been victimized by political misrepresentation and relegated to professional non recognition”, says senior professors Lalitha Mendis and Colvin Gunaratne.

The Minister’s arbitrary action in sacking the president and four council members violated all accepted norms, they asserted.

“It was ultra vires (beyond the powers) and contrary to the edicts laid down in the Medical Ordinance”, they told a news conference in Colombo on Thursday.

Prof. Mendis, who was the former Dean of the Colombo University’s Medical Faculty, said the SLMC is the apex body set up in 1926 with the key objective of ensuring the public received a high standard of treatment from the country’s medical profession.

She said that the Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) was trying to wrest control of the SLMC and rule the roost, which is detrimental to the independence of the statutory body.

Prof. Mendis said the Minister of Health is the appointing authority of the SLMC president and four council members for a five-year tenure. However, under no circumstances can the nominees be dismissed by the incumbent Minister.

Asked whether it was possible that the Minister’s decision was influenced by a section of medical professionals, Professor Colvin Gunaratne, said the Minister was misguided by the politics of such individuals.

Asserting that the SLMC has been victimized by the Minister, he said that attempts to seek a discussion with her (Minister) were ignored.

Three letters were sent to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on the burning SLMC issue but there was no response. An appointment was also sought with him to explain the position but it has still not been forthcoming, the eminent medical specialist said.

Two former SLMC members, Dr. Sarath Gamini Silva and Dr. Nanda Amarasekara, Professor Mohan De Silva, Dr. Ghambheera Harsichandra, Dr. Amina Liyanage and Dr. Srilal de Silva also addressed the news conference.

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Colombo Stock Exchange (GL 12) donates LKR 25 million to the “Rebuilding Sri Lanka” Fund

Published

2 hours ago

2026/01/24

Priyan

The Colombo Stock Exchange (GL 12) has contributed LKR 25 million to the Rebuilding Sri Lanka Fund.

The cheque was handed over to the Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake by the Chairman of the Colombo Stock Exchange, Dimuthu Abeyesekera, the Chief Executive Officer Rajeeva Bandaranaike and Senior Vice Chairman Kusal Nissanka at the Presidential Secretariat.

News

Karu argues against scrapping MPs’ pension as many less fortunate members entered Parliament after ’56

Published

11 hours ago

2026/01/24

Thilina Walpola

Karu Jayasuriya

Former Speaker of Parliament Karu Jayasuriya has written to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake expressing concerns over the proposed abolition of MPs’ pensions.The letter was sent in his capacity as Patron of the Former Parliamentarians’ Caucus.

In his letter, Jayasuriya noted that at the time of Sri Lanka’s independence, political participation was largely limited to an educated, affluent land-owning elite. However, he said a significant social transformation took place after 1956, enabling ordinary citizens to enter politics.

He warned that under current conditions, removing parliamentary pensions would effectively confine politics to the wealthy, business interests, individuals engaged in illicit income-generating activities, and well-funded political parties. Such a move, he said, would discourage honest social workers and individuals of modest means from entering public life.

Jayasuriya also pointed out that while a small number of former MPs, including himself, use their pensions for social and charitable purposes, the majority rely on the pension as a primary source of income.

He urged the President to give due consideration to the matter and take appropriate action, particularly as the government prepares to draft a new constitution.The Bill seeking to abolish pensions for Members of Parliament was presented to Parliament on 07 January by Minister of Justice and National Integration Dr. Harshana Nanayakkara.

News

Johnston, two sons and two others further remanded over alleged misuse of vehicle

Published

11 hours ago

2026/01/24

Thilina Walpola

Former Minister Johnston Fernando and others being escorted out of the Wattala Magistrate Court premises yesterday

Five suspects, including former Minister Johnston Fernando and his two sons, who were arrested by the Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID), were further remanded until 30 January by the Wattala Magistrate’s Court yesterday.

The former Minister’s , sons Johan Fernando and Jerome Kenneth Fernando, and two others, were arrested in connection with the alleged misuse of a Sathosa vehicle during Fernando’s tenure as Minister.

Investigations are currently underway into the alleged misuse of state property, including a lorry belonging to Lanka Sathosa, which reportedly caused a significant financial loss to the state.

In connection with the same incident, Indika Ratnamalala, who served as the Transport Manager of Sathosa during

Fernando’s tenure as Minister of Co-operatives and Internal Trade, was arrested on 04 January.

After being produced before the Wattala Magistrate’s Court, he was ordered to be remanded in custody until 09 January.The former Sathosa Transport Manager was remanded on charges of falsifying documents.