Prof. Sheriff claims he is not a controversial person

January 20, 2012, 8:35 pm , The Island

By Don Asoka Wijewardena Former Director of the Post Graduate Institute of Medicine Prof. Rezvi Sheriff urged the GMOA not to brand him as a controversial personality after his appointment to the SLMC as a member.

Professor Sheriff told The Island that the GMOA had gone on the warpath over his and Dr. Shirly Herath’s appointment to the SLMC. The GMOA had told the media that Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena’s appointments of himself and Dr. Herath to the SLMC were illegal in accordance with the Sri Lanka Medical Ordinance. The GMOA had revealed that Health Minister had been vested with power to appoint only four persons.

The Professor pointed out that since the four persons to the SLMC had been appointed, Minister Sirisena’s additional appointments could not be accommodated. "Nobody asked me to apply for SLMC membership. Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena sent me an official appointment and I accepted it in order to serve the medical profession. The SLMC should be an independent organization. This issue will come up at the SLMC meeting. Minister Sirisena may ask us to resign or dissolve the council. I am not a controversial person at all," he said.