News
Jasinghe’s sudden exit as DGHS raises eyebrows: No word on successor yet
BY SURESH PERERA
The out-of-the-blue exit of Dr. Anil Jasinghe as the Director-General of Health Services (DGHS) has left Sri Lanka’s top-most medical administrative position vacant at a critical time concerted Covid-19 preventive measures are in place to thwart a possible second wave of the dreaded disease, officials said.
The unexpected move to foist Jasinghe, a seasoned medical administrator, as Secretary to the Environment Ministry, has raised eyebrows particularly in the backdrop of the full-blown campaign he spearheaded to keep the nation safe during the dark days of the near two-month lockdown.
“Jasinghe has been kicked upstairs”, health officials chuckled.
“What can a top-notch Specialist Consultant cum medical administrator, who has proven his mettle as the power behind the anti Covid-19 thrust, do in the midst of environmentalists?”, they asked.
It is true that being appointed Secretary to a Ministry translates into a promotion, but a senior medical administrator should have been considered for a job where his expertise and professionalism could have made a meaningful contribution especially at a time the country is facing a grave health crisis, they noted.
It is being whispered in the Health Ministry’s corridors that Jasinghe’s spectacular rise as the ‘man of the match’ during the height of the corona pandemic didn’t go down well amongst those who believe in finding ways of not doing what should be done, officials asserted.
Jasinghe, who served as the director of the Colombo South Teaching Hospital and the National Hospital of Sri Lanka at one time, was instrumental in establishing the Trauma Secretariat under the Ministry of Health and became its Founder Head. The formation of the Secretariat paved the way for a systematic approach in management of trauma.
The next-in-line for the top DGHS slot is Dr. Amal Harsha De Silva, a Specialist Consultant, who is the senior-most medical administrator with 35 years plus in the service.
However, as De Silva has still not been named as the successor even a week after Jasinghe’s exit, there is speculation that another aspirant is being earmarked for the top job, the officials claimed.
De Silva, who now serves as a senior Deputy Director General of Health (DDG), has the distinction of initially working in hospitals in the periphery and later serving as Provincial Director and Regional Director in the health service.
“His wide exposure as a medical administrator remains unparalleled, but the million dollar question is whether he will be given what he deserves”, the officials said.
The book “Rathuwewi Mihimadala”, written based on the life story of Vasudeva Nanayakkara, Leader of the Democratic Left Front, was launched on Friday [August 28] at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH) in Colombo, with the participation of Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya.
Speaking to the media afterwards about Vasudeva Nanayakkara, Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated:
“Vasudeva Nanayakkara is a prominent figure in Sri Lankan politics, particularly within the left-wing political movement. There were several influential figures within the left movement, and that left-wing influence also contributed to bringing the country to where it is today. Politically, there were areas where we agreed and areas where we did not. However, I have great respect for the contribution made by Vasudeva Nanayakkara to left-wing politics. When I entered Parliament in 2020, Vasudeva Nanayakkara was also in Parliament. We sat in the same row, and we spoke about many important as well as interesting moments in his political career. I believe some of these experiences have also been included in this book.”
The event was attended by members of the Maha Sangha, Minister of Justice Harshana Nanayakkara, former President Maithripala Sirisena, former Speakers Karu Jayasuriya and Chamal Rajapaksa, as well as party members, family members and friends.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
Latest News
Sun directly overhead Mannar, Periyamadu, Puliyankulam, Welioya and Pulmoddai about 12.11 noon today (30)
The sun is going to be directly over the latitudes of Sri Lanka from 28th of August to 07th of September due to its apparent southward relative motion.
The nearest places of Sri Lanka over which the sun is overhead today (30) are Mannar, Periyamadu, Puliyankulam, Welioya and
Pulmoddai about 12.11 noon.
(AFP) Sri Lanka’s maritime authorities were monitoring a fleet of 11 US-sanctioned Iranian oil tankers just off the island’s southern coast, the foreign minister said Wednesday.
The tankers were spotted close to the Galle harbour where an Iranian frigate, IRIS Dena, was sunk by a US submarine in March, killing 104 sailors. Sri Lanka’s navy rescued 32 Iranian sailors from that frigate.
Iranian vessels have been in limbo, unable to return to their home port because of a US blockade.
Sri Lanka’s Foreign minister Vijitha Herath said the tankers were in international waters where they had freedom of navigation.
“These ships are away from our territorial waters… we have no hold on them, nor have we facilitated them,” Herath told AFP.
The military deployed reconnaissance aircraft and patrol boats to monitor the vessels outside Sri Lanka’s 12-nautical-mile territorial waters, a military official told AFP on condition of anonymity.
“There is no indication of any ship-to-ship transfer of oil or illegal discharge of pollutants, so there is no basis for Sri Lankan authorities to take action against them,” the official said.
Many Iranian merchant vessels moved east towards the Strait of Malacca and Singapore due to US sanctions, while several remained near Sri Lankan waters, authorities said.
Sri Lankan officials said Washington had not formally notified Colombo about sanctioned Iranian-flagged vessels
UPDATE: Seven killed and 23 missing after boat capsizes off northern Cyprus, says Turkish Cypriot PM
Iceland votes against restarting talks on joining EU
“Rathuwewi Mihimadala” Book Launched with the Participation of the Prime Minister
Turkiye, Somalia forces free cargo vessel hijacked by pirates
Ferry carrying 260 people capsizes off northern Cyprus coast
Imam unlikely to play rest of Lord’s Test after picking up left calf tear
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
Sunday Island 27 December – Headlines
#SundayIsland 17th December – Headlines
Sunday Island – 28th March
Sunday Island Headlines – 21 March
Sunday Island – 21st February – Headlines
-
News6 days agoMissing doctor’s body found in Mahiyanganaya
-
News6 days agoAustralia declines to release Finance Secy Suriyapperuma’s citizenship details
-
News6 days ago22A: BASL suggests CJ recuse himself from hearing petitions
-
News3 days agoEight politicians in drug kingpin probe
-
Editorial7 days agoGovts. drag feet as undergrads age
-
Business3 days agoSri Lanka opens up: A new season of direct connectivity
-
Features5 days agoInsights from Chieftains of Uva: Genealogy of two Kandyan Families – Part II
-
Features3 days agoRedefining ageing in Sri Lanka