News

SLMC crisis: AMS writes to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa

Published

5 years ago

2020/12/6

The Association of Medical Specialists (AMS) warned that the questionable action by the Minister of Health to remove the president and four members of the Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC) can adversely affect the stability, independence and reputation of the regulatory body.

“To the best of our knowledge, there is no provision in the present medical ordinance to remove the President or any member of SLMC by the Minister of Health before the end of their terms. Parliamentarian Tissa Vitarana had also expressed similar sentiments recently in Parliament”, AMS president, Dr. L. A. Ranasinghe says in a letter addressed to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

In his letter dated December 3, 2020, he said the AMS, which wholly comprises government medical and dental specialists, would like to draw attention to the unfortunate crisis situation in the SLMC.

The letter further said: “As you are aware, SLMC is an independent statutory institution which is responsible to look after the patient’s rights and safety and the standards of medical education and ethical medical practice in our country. In order to perform these important functions, SLMC has to be independent, stable and free from undue influences from political and trade union activities”.

The AMS noted that the Minister of Health recently appointed a five-member committee to investigate the conduct of the SLMC in order to address the complaints received against the SLMC. Upon receiving this committee’s recommendations, the Minister removed only the President and four members of SLMC before the end of their term of office. We find this action unfair and is detrimental to the stability of the medical council due to following reasons:

* Although the five-member committee found certain deficiencies and shortcomings of the SLMC, it never found specific wrongdoings of any particular member or group of members. It is in this background we feel it is unfair to remove only the president and four members before the end of their term. To our utter dismay, one such member removed by the Minister was Prof. Narada Warnasuriya, a highly-respected medical professional and a former Dean, Vice Chancellor and past president of the Sri Lanka Medical Association.

* We were reliably informed that when the SLMC delegation met and submitted the comprehensive 300 page document related to the terms of references to the five-member committee, the SLMC delegation clearly stated that all the relevant decisions taken by the SLMC members are binding in nature. The signatories to this written submission included Prof. Vajira Dissanayake, who is the Minister’s present nominee for the post of SLMC president. Hence, it is unfair to single out any member of the SLMC for whatever deficiencies or shortcomings found by the five-member committee, unless there is another specific inquiry for that purpose.

* AMS strongly objects to the recommendation of the five-member committee regarding the long overdue election of four specialists from the specialists registry to SLMC. The five- member committee has proposed for a “separate election later when the specialist registry is completed and sanctioned”. This recommendation is baseless and unacceptable as the specialists registry is now established and more than adequate time was given for specialists to apply for the specialist registration and no further sanction is needed as this election and the other components of the specialist registry was passed as an act of parliament in 2018 (Act no 28 of 2018). We firmly believe that this is a subtle and sinister attempt to postpone the election of medical specialists to SLMC to satisfy a certain trade union who wants to take over the control of SLMC.

The letter added: “We were reliably informed that the change of Presidency at the SLMC can lead to recommencement of all disciplinary inquiries from the beginning affecting both the complainants and the defendants of such proceedings.

“The AMS believes that the above mentioned irregularities happened primarily due to the wrong composition of the five-member committee appointed by the Minister of Health. As we have pointed out to the Minister earlier, this committee included two very active members and a past active member of certain trade union which was the main complainant against the SLMC.

“This improper composition removed the impartiality of this committee, which came up with biased and unfair recommendations. It’s of paramount importance to maintain the independence, stability and the good reputation of SLMC in order to perform its statutory function of regulations of medical practice to ensure patient’s rights and safety. Anything to the contrary can also adversely affect the recognition of Sri Lankan medical degrees by the foreign medical councils causing a major obstacle for overseas training of medical post graduates. In the past the SLMC itself, AMS and other patient rights groups have proposed to change the medical ordinance so that other relevant non medical professionals like retired judges, eminent lawyers and accountants can be appointed as a certain proportion to SLMC as council members.

“This will ensure a more holistic and transparent approach to decision making of SLMC in line with internationally accepted standards”.

Taking these facts into consideration, the AMS has asked the President to reconsider and reverse the decision to remove the President and four members of the SLMC in order to maintain the independence and the stability of the independent body.

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Sun directly overhead Chilaw, Bingiriya, Halmillawewa, Panduwasnuwara, Gokarella, Kawudupelella, Koppaveli and Kirankulam about 12:12 noon. today (09)

Published

9 hours ago

2026/04/9

Priyan

On the apparent northward relative motion of the sun, it is going to be directly over the latitudes of Sri Lanka from the 05th to 15th of April this year.

The nearest areas of Sri Lanka over which the sun is overhead today (09th) are Chilaw, Bingiriya, Halmillawewa, Panduwasnuwara, Gokarella, Kawudupelella, Koppaveli and Kirankulam about 12:12 noon.

Latest News

Heat Index at Caution Level in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Eastern, North-western, Northern and North-central provinces and in Monaragala district

Published

9 hours ago

2026/04/9

Priyan

Warm Weather Advisory
Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre
Issued at 4.30 p.m. on 08 April 2026, valid for 09 April 2026.

The Heat index, the temperature felt on human body is likely to increase up to ‘Caution level’ at some places in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Eastern, North-western, Northern and North-central provinces and in Monaragala district.

The Heat Index Forecast is calculated by using relative humidity and maximum temperature and this is the condition that is felt on your body. This is not the forecast of maximum temperature. It is generated by the Department of Meteorology for the next day period and prepared by using global numerical weather prediction model data.

Effect of the heat index on human body is mentioned in the above table and it is prepared on the advice of the Ministry of Health and Indigenous Medical Services.

ACTION REQUIRED
Job sites: Stay hydrated and takes breaks in the shade as often as possible.
Indoors: Check up on the elderly and the sick.
Vehicles: Never leave children unattended.
Outdoors: Limit strenuous outdoor activities, find shade and stay hydrated.
Dress: Wear lightweight and white or light-colored clothing.

Note:
In addition, please refer to advisories issued by the Disaster Preparedness & Response Division, Ministry
of Health in this regard as well. For further clarifications please contact 011-7446491.

News

AG: Coal procurement full of irregularities

Published

10 hours ago

2026/04/9

Sahan Weerasooriya

AG S. Jayarathne

The Auditor General has warned that delays in coal procurement and continued reliance on suppliers of questionable standards could disrupt the supply of electricity.

The special audit report on coal imports was presented to Parliament on Tuesday (07) by Bimal Ratnayake, Leader of the House, at the commencement of proceedings.

However, Opposition MPs complained to Speaker Dr Jagath Wickramaratne that copies of the report had not been distributed to Members of Parliament. Responding to the complaint, the Speaker said it was the responsibility of the Parliamentary Secretariat to ensure the report was provided to MPs.

The special audit, requested by the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE), examined the coal procurement process of the Lanka Coal Company for the Lakvijaya Power Plant and purchases planned for the 2025/2026 season.

The audit revealed several irregularities in the tender process. It found that the laboratory issuing quality reports at the loading port for the controversial supplier Trident Company had its licence cancelled. The report also disclosed that at the time advertisements were published calling for tenders,the company had not completed its registration but was awarded the tender. In addition, three other suppliers who had not confirmed their registration were allowed to submit bids.

Coal shipments for the Lakvijaya Power Plant are tested at both loading and unloading ports. According to the audit, Mitra SK South Africa had been appointed to conduct testing at the loading port, but due to the absence of accreditation the task was assigned to PT Mitra SK Analisa Testama Samarinda, an Indonesian firm whose licence had been cancelled on December 29, 2025. Auditor General S. Jayarathne has noted that the audit could not confirm whether the licence had been renewed by March 31, 2026, and that all 12 shipment reports issued at the loading port lacked accreditation.

The report has further pointed to discrepancies between loading port laboratory reports and data recorded at the plant’s main control unit. Despite the availability of alternative verification methods, the Lanka Coal Company failed to use them to confirm the accuracy of the reports.

The audit also highlighted that no coal shipments were brought to Sri Lanka between November 13 and December 30, 2025, despite the need to secure maximum stocks during that period.

As a result of the shortage, an emergency procurement was carried out on March 18 this year, selecting Taranjot Resource Pvt Ltd. as the supplier. However, the Auditor General revealed that this company had failed within the previous 36 months to supply coal with the required calorific value of 5,900 or above to the Lakvijaya Power Plant.

The report warns that delays in coal imports and dependence on suppliers with questionable standards could adversely affect the continuous supply of electricity from the plant.

The National Audit Office of Sri Lanka has further estimated that the use of substandard coal has caused losses amounting to nearly Rs. 2.24 billion.

According to the report, losses incurred from individual shipments included more than Rs. 160 million from the first vessel (consignment No. 456), over Rs. 90 million from the second vessel (No. 457), more than Rs. 310 million from the third vessel (No. 458), and over Rs. 150 million from the fourth vessel (No. 459). Additional losses included nearly Rs. 180 million from the fifth vessel (No. 460), about Rs. 30 million from the sixth vessel (No. 461), over Rs. 240 million from the seventh vessel (No. 462), more than Rs. 390 million from the eighth vessel (No. 463) and over Rs. 390 million from the tenth vessel (No. 464).

The report has also noted that because the available coal stocks cannot generate electricity at the plant’s full capacity of 300 megawatts, additional power may have to be obtained from alternative sources. The estimated additional energy requirement for this purpose is 76,354,087 kilowatt-hours, the report has pointed out.

By Saman Indrajith