News
Kumudesh offers conditional backing for making vaccination mandatory
‘Give young people opportunity to choose desired jab’
By Shamindra Ferdinando
President of the College of Medical Laboratory Science Ravi Kumudesh offered conditional backing for making Covid-19 vaccine mandatory.
One of the strongest critics of the government’s response to the unprecedented health emergency, Kumudesh told The Island that such a move couldn’t be accepted unless the government ensured the public had an opportunity to receive the desired vaccine.
Sri Lanka launched the vaccination drive on January 29th, within 24 hours after receiving 500,000 Covishield doses from India.
The Island raised the contentious issue of mandatory vaccination in the wake of several persons, including Justice Minister Ali Sabry, Covid -19 control State Minister Dr. Sudarshini Fernandopulle and former Chairperson of the Human Rights Commission Dr. Deepika Udagama declaring their support for making vaccination mandatory to counter the pandemic.
The civil society activist emphasised that the government shouldn’t expect the public to accept whatever offered at the vaccination centres. “Let the people make a choice. Give them an opportunity to decide on the vaccine,” Kumudesh said, strongly opposing the moves to restrict the movements of those so far unvaccinated.
Kumudesh was responding to a recent announcement that those 30 and above would be subjected to routine checks beginning Sept 15 to ensure they received vaccination.
Asked whether the College of Medical Laboratory Science would accept making vaccination mandatory on the basis of those having compelling medical reasons given the opportunity to shun it, Kumudesh emphasized the two issues shouldn’t be mixed. He asked whether it would be fair to deprive those seeking opportunities in the US, Europe and other parts of the world by inoculating them with Sinopharm. “Regardless of our stand on Sinopharm, some countries do not recognize Chinese vaccines. Therefore, those seeking opportunities in some selected countries are reluctant to take the Chinese jab,” Kumudesh said. They shouldn’t be penalised by the government, the trade union activist said.
Kumudesh explained that the government should make a serious effort at least now to make available sufficient Sinopharm, AstraZeneca (Covishield), Modena, Pfizer and Sputnik for the targeted groups to choose from. Declaring that Sri Lankans seeking opportunities in the US, Europe and other selected areas preferred vaccines that had received WHO endorsement, Kumudesh said that Sinopharm received only emergency approval.
Responding to another query, Kumudesh said that he received the AZ vaccine that was obtained from India.
Referring to plans to inoculate those under 30 including the student community, Kumudesh urged the government not to disappoint them. “Please give them an opportunity to receive a vaccine of their choice. Take into consideration their future,” Kumudesh said.
He faulted the government for not taking tangible measures to procure Pfizer against the backdrop of the disruption of AZ supplies from India due to massive eruption of Covid-19 cases there. Having claimed that Sri Lanka lacked basic facilities required to acquire Pfizer, State Minister of Production, Supply, and Regulation of Pharmaceuticals Prof. Channa Jayasumana later accepted it. The government’s action proved their own argument wrong, Kumudesh said, urging the government to review the entire vaccination process.
Commenting on the inordinate delay in using Sinopharm after receiving stock of 600,000 doses from China, Kumudesh alleged that the government foolishly claimed of a conspiracy. What really happened was at the time Sri Lanka took delivery of a free consignment of Sinopharm it hadn’t received the WHO approval. China delivered the vaccine stock on March 30. Sri Lanka included Sinopharm in the vaccine rollout on May 8 after both WHO and the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) approved the emergency use of Chinese vaccine, Kumudesh said.
The lab technologist said that the government could have handled the situation so much better if it consulted all stakeholders. Unfortunately, the government responded to the crisis, arrogantly, Kumudesh claimed, flaying the powers that be for declaring victory over the epidemic at an early phase of the struggle.
The government couldn’t achieve the desired results by declaring lockdowns unless a cohesive action plan was put in place to contain the fast spreading of Covid-19, he said.
Latest News
Sri Lankans living overseas can request birth, marriage, and death certificates through embassies in Kuwait, Japan, Qatar, Australia, Canada, Italy, and Dubai
The government has announced a new initiative to issue copies of birth, marriage, and death certificates to Sri Lankans living abroad through Sri Lankan embassies, and providing greater convenience to the expatriate community.
The program will be launched as a pilot project across seven selected foreign missions, including the embassies in Kuwait, Japan, and Qatar, and the consulates in Melbourne (Australia), Toronto (Canada), Milan (Italy), and Dubai (UAE).
In Sri Lanka, efforts are underway to enhance the e-BMD (electronic Birth, Marriage, and Death) database system, which is jointly managed by the Registrar General’s Department and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This will allow birth, marriage, and death certificates to be issued through foreign embassies, following a model already in place for obtaining certificates at Divisional Secretariat offices across Sri Lanka.
In the initial phase, only the approximately 45 million birth, marriage, and death certificates that have already been scanned and stored in the e-BMD system will be issued.
These will include records for births, marriages, and deaths that have been registered since January 1, 1960. While the majority of these records will be available, there may be occasional delays in updating certificates that have been revised after their initial entry into the database.
[PMD]
Business
ICTA’s new Board of Directors hold inaugural meeting
The newly appointed Board of Directors of the Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA) convened for their first meeting this afternoon (13).
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake recently appointed Dr. Hans Wijeyasuriya, as the Principal Presidential Advisor on Digital Economy, chaired the board in a non-executive role. Dr. Wijeyasuriya’s leadership reflects a commitment to strengthening Sri Lanka’s digital economy, aiming to boost economic growth, enhance national competitiveness, and deliver meaningful digital benefits to citizens.
Other board members include Sanjaya Karunasena, Harsha Purasinghe, Chandima Cooray, Bandula Ranatunga, Jeffrey Sulfer, Samisa Abeysinghe, and Shanaka Rebel.
ICTA Board of Directors
Dr. Hans Wijayasuriya – Chairman
Dr. Hans Wijayasuriya is a distinguished telecommunications leader with over 30 years in the ICT industry, currently serving as Group CEO for Axiata Group’s Telecommunications Business across Asia. His career includes leading Dialog Axiata PLC to market leadership in Sri Lanka and pioneering Axiata’s digital ventures. An award-winning industry contributor, he holds degrees from Cambridge, Bristol, and Warwick and is actively involved in Sri Lanka’s development, including initiatives like the Unique Digital Identity program. Dr. Wijayasuriya also serves on boards of notable organizations, including GSMA and Sri Lankan Airlines.
Sanjaya Karunasena
Sanjaya Karunasena is a digital governance enthusiast, executive consultant, entrepreneur, enterprise software architect, and multi-skilled technologist with 26 years of industry experience and has worked with global software companies like Virtusa and WSO2. Served as the Chief Technology Officer of the Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA) of Sri Lanka from 2008 to 2013. Co-founder of Nimbus Venture (Pvt) Ltd, Pontoon (Pvt) Ltd, and Digital Democracy Collective.
Harsha Purasinghe
Harsha Purasinghe is a technology entrepreneur and Eisenhower Fellow with over 25 years of experience building significant software products and solutions. He has founded multiple ventures, including Microimage Group – arguably Sri Lanka’s most successful high school startup from the ’90s – and is the Founder/Co-Founder of MiHCM and Futura Tech Labs. Purasinghe currently leads MiHCM, a global award-winning HRTech SaaS company with a presence in 20+ markets, impacting 1,000+ companies. He received the ‘Most Outstanding Entrepreneur in the ICT Industry of Sri Lanka’ awards in 2007 and the ‘Eisenhower Innovation Fellowship’ in 2014. As a highly respected industry leader, Purasinghe regularly addresses global events.
Chandima Cooray
Chandima Cooray has over 25 years of experience leveraging technology to drive business transformation across diverse industries like healthcare, manufacturing, and supply chain. Currently, he is a partner at Acornic Ventures and co-founded Ayubo.life, a digital health company. Formerly, he served as Chief Digital Officer at Hemas Holdings, advancing their digital initiatives and innovation efforts. His background includes executive education from top institutions and roles at leading organizations like Unilever and MAS Holdings.
Bandula Ranathunga
Bandula Ranathunga is an eGovernment and public administration expert with over 25 years of experience in digital transformation and public sector reform in Sri Lanka. He has managed projects in diverse areas, including healthcare, local government, and smart city initiatives, with notable achievements in business process re-engineering. Currently, he leads training and consultancy for the Smart Ticketing System at Sri Lanka Railway and has held senior roles at organizations like the ICTA and Colombo Municipal Council. His academic background includes multiple postgraduate qualifications in eGovernance and public administration.
Jiffry Zulfer
Jiffry Zulfer is a past President of the Digital Chapter of the Federation of Information Technology Industry Sri Lanka (FITIS). He is also the founder and CEO of Digital Mobility Solutions Lanka Ltd., that formed PickMe, the most successful tech-based startup which introduced online ride hailing to Sri Lanka. Zulfer won the National Silver Award at the FCCISL Sri Lankan Entrepreneur of the year 2018, the FCCISL Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award (April 2004) and the ICTA Young IT Professional Award (May 2006) for his efforts in technopreneurship.
Samisa Abeysinghe
Samisa Abeysinghe is a distinguished expert in software engineering, with extensive experience in AI, middleware technologies, full-stack development, and product management. Currently CTO at Avinya Foundation, he focuses on creating digital solutions for educational institutions and leads their IT vocational program. His prior roles include Solutions Architect at ICTA, VP roles in delivery and engineering at WSO2, and technology consultancy. With degrees in Computer Science and Advanced Computing, he mentors extensively on career growth and personal development.
Shanaka Rebel
Shanaka Rebel has 23 years of corporate experience across digital technology solutions, consulting, and leadership roles. Currently, as Group Chief Digital and Transformation Officer at Stretchline Holdings, he leads the Group’s digital vision and transformation towards a smart organization. He specializes in Industry 4.0, data analytics, process automation, and secure API ecosystems. Shanaka holds a Computer Science & Engineering degree from the University of Moratuwa, an MBA from Sheffield University, and a PMP certification, showcasing his dedication to lifelong learning.
[PMD]
News
Election: 90,000 police and military personnel deployed countrywide
By Rathindra Kuruwita
Approximately 90,000 police and security personnel had been deployed to ensure security for Thursday’s general election, Police Spokesman Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Nihal Thalduwa said yesterday
DIG Thalduwa stated that those personnel had been deployed from Tuesday onwards to ensure a free and fair election.
So far, there had been no reports of significant election-related violence, he said. About 1.36 million illegal campaign posters had been removed with the assistance of 1,500 labourers by midnight on 11 November, he said, adding that another 641,000 posters intended for illegal display had been taken into custody.
About 1,136 banners had been pulled down and 534 others taken into custody, DIG Thalduwa said, noting that about 1,156 cut-outs had been removed and seized 1,674 others. About 6,000 leaflets were destroyed while 69,630 others were taken into custody.
The police have received 446 complaints of election-related incidents, including 61 reports of election-related violence and 385 of election law violations.
The majority of the cases involved verbal abuse, minor assaults, and threats. A total of 441 individuals, including 14 candidates, have been arrested in connection over such incidents.
On Thursday, about 3,109 mobile patrols with over 4,500 vehicles will be operational, and 269 roadblocks will be set up. Additionally, 241 anti-riot squads have been stationed throughout the country. About 110 vehicles had been taken into custody, DIG Thalduwa said, adding that none of them were state-owned.
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