Ranil backs JVP, demands probe

* Goon attack on Ruhuna students

June 5, 2014, 12:00 pm , The Island


By Saman Indrajith

Opposition and UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday told Parliament that some politicians including parliamentarians had led a mob which attacked undergraduates of the Ruhuna University. He demanded an investigation into the incident.

 "We have seen JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva display some pictures of that incident. Some government politicians were captured in those photographs leading a mob that attacked the students and teachers of the Ruhuna University. I demand to know what action the government will take against those politicians."

Text of the Opposition Leader’s special statement: "A mob blocked the entrance and the exit of the University of Ruhuna and disturbed its functions with the connivance of some politicians of the area. They entered the University on 02.06.2014, and had attacked its students on the pretext of requesting that the Deyata Kirula Exhibition be held in the university premises. Further they did not even allow the evacuation of students injured in the attack. The gang also abused the lecturers entering and leaving the university premises in filth and threatened them. The mob caused damage to their vehicles. As usual, the police took no action. The victims were sent out in buses and four faculties in the Wellamadama premises remain closed indefinitely.

I expect a statement from the Prime Minister on the terror spread throughout the area around Wellamadama Complex of the University of Ruhuna. I also expect him to include the following in that statement: (1) legal action taken against the gang that entered the premises of the University of Ruhuna and attacked the students (2) legal action taken against those who insulted the university lecturers and damaged their vehicles (3) security measures to be taken to ensure early re-opening of the university and the continuation of academic work without fear and uncertainty among students and lecturers (4) steps to be taken to ensure the safety of the students residing in the university and its vicinity and (5) steps to be taken to maintain law and order to ensure that such incidents will not recur.

Leader of the House Irrigation Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said that the government would make a statement on the issue on Friday (06).

AHS issue: Nurses, PSM fault govt. for overlooking them

June 5, 2014, 9:48 pm , The Island


By Dilanthi Jayamanne

Nurses and Professions Supplementary to Medicine (PSM) yesterday warned that they would continue with their agitations for a fair solution to the Allied Health Sciences Degree issue till the Ministry of Higher Education and the University Grants Commission officially informed them of the decision taken at a discussion on Tuesday (03).

Addressing the media, President of the Government Nursing Officers’ Association (GNOA) Saman Ratnapriya said that the nursing and PSM unions had discussed the new development with the AHS students and reached an agreement with them to continue with the trade union action till they were apprised of the outcome of the controversial discussion.

  "While welcoming the positive decision taken at the meeting at Temple Trees, there are a few issues that need to be straightened out such as to whether the subjects and their content had been reduced," he said.

Higher Education Minister S. B. Dissanayake told Parliament recently that at a meeting President Mahinda Rajapaksa had with the Ministries of Health, Higher Education, University Grants Commission, Vice Chancellors of Ruhunu and Peradeniya Universities and the Dean of the Peradeniya Allied Health Science Faculty and the Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) early this week it had been agreed to offer degrees to AHS students on the basis of obtaining 120 credits.

 Ratnapriya said, however, that the students and unions would not agree to any decision in which subjects such as ‘research,’ would be removed or tampered with. He said the eight credits which the student receives in that subject stood them in good stead when they followed their post graduate studies.

 Ratnapriya said the professional degree which had been initiated in 2005 had comprised a four-year study course. Students who passed out in 2009 had followed the four-year degree. The Health Ministry had absorbed them into government service after a lapse of three years after condition had been laid down that only 25 percent of the graduate nursing and PSM students would be recruited. He accused the Health Ministry of being manipulated by doctors.   

The General Secretary of the Joint Council of Professions Supplementary to Medicine (JCPSM), Saman Jayasekara said that the decision to prune the duration of   the AHS degree had been taken when the issue regarding clinical training arose. Jayasekara said it had resulted in a case being filed in the Supreme Court by the Peradeniya University against the UGC and the Higher Education Ministry. The former Chief Justice however gave the ruling that the situation could not be resolved without discussions with the GMOA which was one of the main stakeholders. Jayasekara said that the PSM and nursing unions had been overlooked on both occasions when calling for discussions on the issue. It was reprehensible that only the GMOA had been called to discuss a matter that concerned the future of nursing and PSM