Malabe issue: Parents lash out at Vasu

August 14, 2012, 12:00 pm , The Island

By Don Asoka Wijewardena

The Malabe Parents’ Private Medical Association, comprising around 350 parents, yesterday condemned National Integration and Languages Minister Vasudewa Nanayakkara for spreading false information and condemning the SAITM without valid reason. Commenting on a recent statement, attributed to Minister Nanayakkara, a spokesperson for the association alleged the minister had thrown his weight behind those hell-bent on destroying the project. The Minister had stated that without the approval of the Russian universities, the Malabe PMC had fraudulently enrolled students for medical education. The PMC had no legal foundation and it could not produce doctors according to the International Standard.

The organization said that it was unbecoming of a Cabinet Minister to jump to irresponsible conclusions without knowing the real facts regarding the Malabe PMC. The UGC had given the degree awarding status to the PMC. It was announced by a special gazette notification.

The Organization added that around 350 students were studying at the Malabe PMC and they would complete the final exam here. Some trade unions were trying to mislead the general public into believing that degrees awarded by the PMC were not recognized in Sri Lanka.

It said that the SAITM had complied with the SLMC’s guidelines to become a medical degree awarding body. But, when the Sri Lankan government was about to recognize the PMC, some treacherous organizations were engineering secret sabotage activities. The truth would prevail, they said.