GMOA warns govt. against appointing Carlo to head SLMC

December 4, 2011, 9:54 pm , The Island.

By Don Asoka Wijewardena

Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) General Secretary Dr.Chandika Epitakaduwa yesterday warned the government not to appoint Prof. Carlo Fonseka as the President of the Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC) as he was regarded to be the most controversial character by the medical profession.

He was also a politically affiliated person who had criticized the SLMC on several occasions. Several medical institutions would hand over a letter to President Mahinda Rajapaksa to appoint another professionally qualified medical person to fill the vacancy created by the impending departure of Pro. Lalitha Mendis, the GMOA General Secretary said.

He told "The Island" that the

Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA), College of Surgeon, the Sri Lanka Medical Association (SLMA), the Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC), the Government Dental Surgeon Association (GDSA), Sri Lanka Dental Association (SLDA), Independent Medical Practitioners Association (IMPA), Deans of All Faculties of Medicine, Medical Faculty Teachers Unions and all GMOA Branch Unions had decided to arrive at a final conclusion today at a special meeting to be held at SLMA.

Dr. Epitakaduwa said that the GMOA knew from a reliable source that Prof. Carlo Fonseka would be appointed as the President of the SLMC. Although in terms of qualifications Pro. Fonseka had all the credentials, the problem was he was considered rather controversial figure. Many medical organizations had discussed with the GMOA on this issue and were under the impression that his appointment as the President of the SLMC would do more harm than good.

In accordance with the Sri Lanka Medical Ordinance, the SLMC should remain as an independent organization. The President of the SLMC should have immaculate character, genuine interest to serve the medical profession, an independent person without conflict of interest, medically qualified person, a flexible person able to act on the spur of the moment, free from politics and ability to resolve divergent issues of the medical profession, he said.

Dr. Epitakaduwa added that the GMOA had requested the government to retain the services of SLMC current President Pro.Lalitha Mendis. She had been able to maintain the activities of the SLMC to a high standard. But in case a person with different attitudes, divergent views and unorthodox opinions was appointed, the SLMC would have to face severe repercussions in the future.

When contacted SLMC President Prof. Lalitha Mendis said that her successor should have the ability to take decisions independently irrespective of cast, creed and religion. The main objectives of the organization were regulating the medical profession. It was involved in regulating code of conduct of doctors and medical education.

She added that apart from academic qualifications, the person who would be appointed SLMC President should be a trusted person in the medical profession. He or she should also have presence of mind to take impartial decisions at all times. A politically affiliated person was not suitable to hold such a post because if that sort of person was appointed he or she would take decisions for the interest of politicians.

Skill based education for economic development

December 4, 2011, 7:59 pm ,  The Island.


Welcome

Welcome to the sixty sixth edition of this regular column. Here, we discuss a wide range of topics around Information and Communications Technology (ICT), Business Process Outsourcing (BPO), many aspects of Business, SME Development, Agriculture, Education, Entrepreneurship, Creativity, Innovation and the Society at large.

A Skill Based Education System

I heard on the news last week that Minister Bandula Gunawardena had said that during C.W.W. Kannangara’s time, our school system had a lot of practical aspects such as carpentry, pottery (clay craft), home science and many others. In fact schools had special rooms for these subjects. Today, it may be that those class rooms are still there, but the interest for these subjects are extremely low.

What we have is a highly exam oriented system. In fact what we need is a talent based, skill based education.

The late CWW Kannangara, Father of Free Education, introduced a national system of education with emphasis on vocational training. Every school then had a work shop for learning trades. But, with the passage of time that aspect was ignored and we have moved towards passing exams by memorising. Today, that is the system that decides who climbs up in the higher education system. Sounds problematic? Yes it does.

Only a very few can find their way through three key exams (i.e: Year 5 scholarships, OLs and ALs) well and achieve university entrance. The fact remains that no matter how hard students try, there are only about 20,000 seats. But what happens to the rest, the vast majority who won’t get there?

On the other hand, just like higher education, vocational skills are important for the country. However, to create an interest in vocational education after school, they should have been educated in a skill-based school system. So that is the problem at the moment.

The Problem

Everyone’s geared towards exams, everyone’s geared towards higher education, and we know for a fact that we can’t accommodate all of them and we know for a fact that we don’t need that much higher educated (academic studies) people anyway and we know for a fact that we need vocational skills for our country. And then the obvious solution is to start producing them!

Well, one can argue that you can start converting them into vocational skills after school. But in reality it is not effective, because people haven’t built tact or an interest for that type of work during their school period.

So, the school period is the best time to instil those features, skills and interests. It’s not an alien concept, it has been there in our schools as was noted at the start. Even some of the facilities might be there. It’s more about re-starting it. But I don’t think it is enough to just say we have to do it, but we have to have a plan to get there. Especially you have to tackle the real problem to fix a resultant issue.

What should we do?

The key thing is to take measures slowly to take out the exam oriented nature in the education system. Parallel to that, there needs to be a process that introduces and implements skill-based education. A part of it could be looking at the delivery modes. At the moment, it’s very little practical work but more writing, as students are expected to memorise notes. Nevertheless can we make it more of a practical environment where the students actually learn? There is a difference between learning vs teaching. What we do is mostly teaching, of course it is important in certain areas, but it has to be mixed with learning. That is getting the student to do things practically; research, read, observe, experiment and learn. They are the traits we need to develop in a student to have a generation that is more innovative, takes initiative and adds value to the country using their talent.

Also it is important to do a mindset change in the people. One reason that the education has become so competitive is that there is a misconception that higher education is the best thing and everyone needs to pass exams. Vocational areas are extremely important for the country as we need people to do certain things. They are important, so they have to be valued. As long as we perceive that only a few professions as good, then people won’t create an interest in others.

Vocational education has diversified over the 20th century and now exists in industries such as retail, tourism, information technology, funeral services and cosmetics, as well as in the traditional crafts and cottage industries. Some other areas are carpentry, masonry, electrical work, pre-school teaching, beauty culture, performing arts, electrical sewing, motor mechanics, plumbing, welding, tailoring, computer applications and IT, handloom, embroidery, sewing, chefs/cookery and hospitality. When you read through that list, it is clear how critical they are for the economy of a country. Basically, you can’t run a country without these skills.

So, it is great to see the Education Minister himself coming forward and admitting the problem. I hope we see some improvements on this identified problem pretty soon.

There is already a vocational training sector in Sri Lanka for people who have left school. However, the point here is to have a holistic view on things and see how we mould kids during school and then release them for more advanced vocational training after school.

In September, there was a news item about an initiative to set up a school for prisoners. The school would be located in the Watareka area in Homagama. The prison school is expected to provide non-formal education opportunities to the prisoners. Carpentry, masonry, motor mechanics are among the eight fields that will be offered to the prisoners. I hope these initiatives will come into reality sooner rather than later.

All of that would help us to improve the skills of our people, helping us to uplift the country to the next level.

Inaugural Reconciliation Conference

Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute of International Relations and Strategic Studies (LKIIRSS) is a Sri Lankan research institute (or ‘think tank’) in the area of international affairs. The Kadirgamar Institute is organising Sri Lanka’s first national conference on Reconciliation and it is to be held on the 24th of November. The key note address will be made by Mr Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, Secretary of Defence. The Kadirgamar Institute functions under the Ministry of External Affairs.

For a country that has come out of a civil war, reconciliation is extremely important. Whether we like it or not, there is a bit of a broken link between the Tamils and Sinhalese, and between North and South. Many events have happened in the past that have caused many people to suffer, to be unhappy and go through utmost pain. But then again, are we to just be in pain and stay separated forever? Or are we to look on the bright side, and move on to a better future? The latter is the right thing to do by the human kind. And reconciliation is for that. Therefore this conference will discuss these aspects in a serious manner.

The Kadirgamar Institute as a think tank can lead the research and development of ideas in key areas such as this. Their website is at http://www.kadirgamarinstitute.lk/ and will also be launched on 24th November at the historic first national conference on Reconciliation.

The Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute of International Relations and Strategic Studies, (LKIIRSS) was inaugurated in 2006. The institute was the brain child of the late Foreign Minister, Lakshman Kadirgamar, who saw the long felt need for a strategic studies institute in Sri Lanka and worked towards establishing one with dedication.

The ground work for establishing a strategic studies institute was completed during his time, but he was not able to witness it actually being set up. After his assassination, President Mahinda Rajapaksa, (then Prime Minister), proposed to the Cabinet that the new Institute of International Relations and Strategic Studies be named after Minister Kadirgamar as a tribute. The proposal was approved, thus paving the way for the LKIIRSS to be established. Recently Asanga Abeyagoonasekera was appointed as the Executive Director of the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute. Asanga was once the youngest Chairman in the government sector.

Get in Touch

If you have an event or a group that you would like me to talk to, I can see if I can make some time for such activities. I am happy to speak to groups about the ICT/BPO sector, youth leadership, business, careers, communication skills, soft skills and entrepreneurship. I always take pleasure from such activities.

If you have any feedback, please drop a note to yva@lankabpoacademy.lk

See you next week!





The Columnist

Yasas Vishuddhi Abeywickrama is a professional with significant experiences. In 2011 he was recognised as one of the Ten Outstanding Young Persons (TOYP) in Sri Lanka. Yasas has a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from University of Colombo and a Masters degree in Entrepreneurship & Innovation from Swinburne University in Australia. He has worked in the USA, UK, Sri Lanka & Australia and being trained in the USA & Malaysia. He is currently involved in the training organisation, Lanka BPO Academy (www.lankabpoacademy.lk). Apart from this column, he is a regular resource person for ‘Ape Gama’ program of FM Derana (Sunday 3-5pm). Yasas is happy to answer your relevant questions – email him at yva@lankabpoacademy.lk .

Academic Freedom and Quality of Education: Looking for a scapegoat

December 4, 2011, 12:00 pm , The Island.


After listening to an interesting, controversial and thought provoking presentation by Prof. Desmond Mallikarachchi at the International Philosophy Day Seminar organised by the Department of Philosophy, University of Peradeniya, I have decided to take up once again the issue previously raised by Dr Jayantha Dhanapala in his open letter and Comrade Carlo Fonseka’s response to it in The Island a couple of days ago although Prof Mallikarachchi’s presentation is not directly related to the issue discussed by two learned persons. The question Prof Mallikarachchi posed was: Is Mahavamsa a Meta-Narrative, i. e. a comprehensive and all-encompassing story? I must record in passing that the way in which the University of Peradeniya has treated Prof Mallikarachchi, an eminent scholar, after his retirement, is disgraceful.

Is there a correlation between the quality of university education and the autonomy of the university system? Or more specifically has the quality of education in the university system declined because of the interference of the government? Dr Dhanapala’s open letter gives an affirmative answer to both these questions. The implication that followed from his argument is that if the universities are made autonomous, the quality of university education and its products will improve. Of course, the quality of university education and its products depends on multiple factors and mono-causal explanations may not hold water. So not giving room to misunderstanding let me state that Dr Dhanapala has not given the impression that university autonomy or lack of it is the sole or the principal cause of the poor quality of education. However, as Prof Carlo Fonseka said that Dr Dhanapala’s "judgment implies that the reason why our university teachers do not teach, do not search for new knowledge and do not serve the public as well as they should and would is that they don’t have the intellectual freedom required to do so." Furthermore, he added: "Speaking from my own personal university experience of some forty-five years as a student and teacher, I have to report that the only threat to my freedom of speech and freedom from fear came from the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) and not from our university or political authorities". Hence, Prof Fonseka is "unable to agree with JD that what is most needed in our universities right now is intellectual freedom". He has placed more emphasis on economic need of the academics as a reason for the decline of the quality of university education. So he opines: "I dare to think that a little more money will have a greater beneficial effect on academics than more intellectual freedom. Apart from freedom from want, freedom from the menace of the JVP and LTTE influence is a more relevant need for our university system."

My view is much closer to the views of Prof. Fonseka, who apparently argues that Dr. Dhanapala’s thesis gives prominence to external factors, economic hardships or the JVP/LTTE interventions. My submission is that the resultant quality reduction is basically internally driven. It is difficult for me to believe that ‘a little more money’ would help in persuading university teachers to teach, to search for new knowledge and to serve the public as well as they should unless money is linked to performance. We have witnessed during the last trade union action of the university teachers led by FUTA that some of the teachers resisted such performance-based grants. As in other sectorsn in this overarching consumerist culture, it is not need but greed that governs university teachers’ behaviour and attitudes. Speaking from my own personal experience of some forty-five years as a university student and teacher, I can see a drastic decline in the quality of teaching in our universities. Let me qualify by saying that my observations are applicable and may be valid only to the teaching of social science and humanities. One may argue justifiably that the universities would develop as better centres of learning and creation and dissemination of knowledge if those institutions are given more autonomy, academic freedom and better salaries for university dons. Moreover, more facilities for students would enhance the interests of the students. However, just reiterating this general and rather abstract truth will not be adequate for overcoming the flaws and weaknesses of the Sri Lankan university system. In my opinion, many of these flaws are internally generated; outside interference might have contributed to making them more pronounced. Let me list some of the factors that led to quality degeneration.

First, many faculties in the Sri Lankan university system restructured their programmes from the term-based systems to semester-based systems. In accordance with the new system, in addition to end of the semester examination based evaluation a continuous evaluation was introduced. Although it was said that system worked well in the US and many other countries, I would submit that it has become a total failure in Sri Lanka. In social science and humanities, this system fails to give a comprehensive and critical view on the subject to students. The tutorial system that was a key feature of the previous system was replaced by assignments. Hence the interaction between teachers and students and classroom discussion was abolished. Although teachers claim that the new system increases their work load, they have found ways and means of reducing their working hours significantly. Let me give an example. In the last five years or so I asked economics graduates who passed out with first or second class upper division to give in two sentences the essence of the theories of J M Keynes. Only one out of ten were able to give a satisfactory answer. I asked the same question from my final year students at the beginning of this academic year, none was able to give an answer.

How do we explain this? This relates to my second reason. Instead of addressing issues in creative and innovative manner, we tend to seek formalist answers. When we witnessed the deterioration of quality, we create new section called quality control and comes up with formalist formula completely neglecting the fact that the teaching has suffered primarily because teachers do not read books and they do not try acquire new knowledge.The VCs, the Deans and Heads of Departments were burdened with paper work. When I was a student, the then Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Prof H A De S Gunasekera was also Head of the Department of Economics. While performing the both functions, he took more than ten lectures and tutorial classes a week. And he was an excellent teacher equipped with knowledge of the latest development in the subject. The excessive formalism has given rise to excessive bureaucratic structures in the universities.

Thirdly, substantial a number of university teachers are prone to a disease that led them to consider teaching as ‘work’. When I joined the teaching staff as an assistant lecturer in the early 1970s, I used to teach more than twenty hours a week for five different courses. In recent years, at the faculty and department meetings what I witnessed was that if a lecturer is given a ‘work’ load of nine hours week, they began to complain. In addition, some lecturers, small in number, do not conduct lectures at all and ask junior or temporary lecturers to do the lecture on behalf of them. Hence the hierarchy is misused to exploit juniors. Some, once again small in number, are present in the university only two days a week. And some dons tend to manipulate leave system (real and hypothetical vacation etc) in the university system to avoid teaching during the semester. None of the formalist formulae work to transform this tragic situation.

All these are internally generated factors. However, we, university teachers, need scapegoats. In the current situation it is the lack of academic freedom.

The writer teaches political economy at the University of Peradeniya.

E-mail: sumane_l@yahoo.com

 

ETF funds invested in pvt. banks

December 2, 2011, 9:15 pm , The Island.


Deputy Finance Minister Geethanjana Gunawardena told Parliament yesterday that the monies of the Employees Trust Fund have been invested in several private banks.

The monies have been invested in Commercial Bank, Sampath Bank, DFCC and NDB, he said adding that the assets of the Fund had gone upto one trillion rupees.Therefore no need to harbor fears that the monies are in danger. The responsibility of protecting the ETF is with the Central Bank, he said.

The Deputy Minister said this in response to a question raised by UNP Matara District MP Buddhika Pathirana. (SI)

Undergraduates protest at the Sri Jayawardenapura University .....

December 1, 2011, 10:09 pm, The Island


Undergraduates protest at the Sri Jayawardenapura University yesterday demanding the removal of its Vice Chancellor , N. L. A. Karunaratne. JVP activists accused the VC of causing disruption to their studies. The police were deployed to prevent incidents in the wake of Wednesday’s clash, which caused injuries to ten police personnel and several JVP activists. (Pic Kamal Bogoda)

Budget second reading passed

November 30, 2011, 9:55 pm , The Island.

By Saman Indrajith

The second reading stage of the Budget 2012 was passed in Parliament yesterday by a majority of 91 votes.

The Budget proposals received 151 votes in favour and 60 against. The number of seats in support of the government increased by one yesterday with UNP Colombo District MP Mohanlal Grero voting for the budget and crossing over to Government side.

When the time for the vote was announced by Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa, Chief Opposition Whip John Amaratunga requested a division by name. When the name of MP Grero was announced to cast his vote, Government members thumped their desks welcoming and approving his decision. Soon after the vote was taken and before results were announced the UNP MP rose and walked across the floor of the Well amidst welcomes and applause from the government ranks.

The UNP, TNA and the DNA voted against the budget.

UNP Colombo District MP Grero, participating in the second reading debate on the budget earlier in the day made his intention of voting with the government public.

The MP said "people in the country now enjoy the dividends of peace ushered in by President Mahinda Rajapaksa who wiped out terrorism. The government has allocated sufficient funds for the education sector in the budget proposals. I have been voted in by my electorate since I promised to work for the development of the education sector. Now, I am 55. I would not be able to serve their objectives and interests if I remain in the Opposition longer. This need to add my contribution for the development of country’s education sector prompted me to decide on voting with the government in this budget."

After he took his seat on ending his speech, UNP MPs Sajith Premadasa, Daysiri Jayasekera and Range Bandara went upto MP Grero and spoke to him.

At this point UPFA MPs Shantha Bandara and Janaka Wakkumbura went upto MP Grero and accompanied him out of the chamber.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa made a brief visit to Parliament yesterday afternoon to attend consultative committee meetings of ministries coming under his purview. He met UNP MP Grero in the Parliament complex while other UNP members were seen gathering at the Opposition Leader’s office for a special parliamentary group meeting. At this meeting presided by party leader Ranil Wickremsinghe it was decided that the UNP should vote against the budget and the issue of MP Grero to be forwarded to the party’s working committee for further actions, party sources said.

The President however has left Parliament by the time vote was taken at 5,00 p.m.

With  MP Grero switching alliances, the ruling UPFA has increased its strength to 161 seats in the 225-seat Legislature while there are 63 in the Opposition of which 43 are UNP MPs, 13 ITAK MPS and seven in the DNA.

Seventeen UNP MPs, including eight SLMC members, have joined the Government ranks in the present parliament while one ITAK member too has extended his support in addition to the 143 UPFA seats in the government ranks.  

The final vote on the budget is scheduled to be taken at 5 pm on December 21. President Mahinda Rajapaksa, in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, presented the budget 2012 to Parliament on November 21 and the second reading stage debate continued for seven days from Nov. 22. From today (01) onwards commences the committee stage (third reading) debate on the budget. The third reading stage debate is scheduled to continue upto December 21 and votes of ministries would be taken separately. The final vote would be taken at 5 pm on December 21.

GMOA against PGIM stopping Consultant training

November 30, 2011, 10:22 pm , The Island.

By Don Asoka Wijewardena

The Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) yesterday objected to the draconian law, practiced by the Post Graduate Institute of Medicine (PGIM), in stopping training of Consultants. The GMOA pointed out that only 1,000 Consultants were serving the medical profession for a population of 20 million.

Due to the dearth of adequate Consultants, long queues, both in the public and private sector hospitals, were a common scene. The GMOA had decided to request Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena not to dance to the tune of the PGIM’s arbitrary decision and to take action to resume training more Consultants, GMOA General Secretary Dr. Chandika Epitakaduwa said at a media conference held at the GMOA head office on November 30.

Dr. Epitakaduwa, addressing the media pointed out that Sri Lanka was in dire need of Consultants in thoracic surgery, neurosurgery, vascular diseases and psychiatry, because only 1,000 Consultants could be found in the country. Most Consultants had left for greener pastures for better salaries.

He said that Sri Lanka was lagging behind the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations because WHO had recommended that Sri Lanka should have at least 50,000 psychiatrists for a 20 million population. But, there were only 50 psychiatrists in the country.

Dr. Epitakaduwa added that the GMOA vehemently opposed the decision taken by the PGIM to stop training Consultants. At least Sri Lanka should have 400 psychiatrists to serve a 20 million population.

He said that the PGIM had now taken a decision to cut down training courses meant for post-graduate studies for Doctor of Medicine (MD) and Master of Surgery (MS) annually. It was a detrimental move by the PGIM. "On what grounds does the PGIM cut down post-graduate training of doctors. Studying is a continuous process. When the country is devoid of consultants, the PGIM takes anti-social decisions," he said.

According to the GMOA, the Executive Committee will meet Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena next week and convince him of the importance of post-graduate training in Sri Lanka.

University malady, military remedy!

November 30, 2011, 6:51 pm , The Island.


By Carlo Fonseka

A university students’ protest
(file photo)

"A remedy as dangerous as the malady" is the heading of an open letter in The Island of 17th November 2011. It is addressed by Jayantha Dhanapala to our university teachers.
Holding as he currently does the position adorned by Bertrand Russell, who founded the Pugwash Movement in 1957, JD commands the respectful attention of all serious- minded citizens in our country. In his judgment, "…what is needed as we face the current challenges of development in a post-conflict period is intellectual freedom in our universities…". This judgment implies that the reason why our university teachers do not teach, do not search for new knowledge and do not serve the public as well as they should and would is that they don’t have the intellectual freedom required to do so. Speaking from my own personal university experience of some forty-five years as a student and teacher, I have to report that the only threat to my freedom of speech and freedom from fear came from the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) and not from our university or political authorities.

JVP & LTTE

During the period from 1987 to 1989, the JVP called the shots and virtually ran the university administration or rather brought it to a standstill. In 1988 after a member of the JVP assassinated Vijaya Kumaratunga, I had reason to believe that they would target me and so I was driven into protective exile. It has been documented that during the period in question the brainless malignant violence of the JVP under the leadership of Rohana Wijeweera killed 5,677 people and destroyed 613 CTB buses. The quantity of murder and destruction wreaked by the LTTE under the leadership of the other malignantly aggressive megalomaniac Vellupillai Prabhakaran was even greater than that caused by the JVP. Wijeweera and Prabhakaran bring irresistibly to my mind Adolf Hitler. Eric Fromm, in his insightful analysis presented in his seminal work The Anatomy of Human Destructiveness has diagnosed Hitler as a case of necrophilia. Given the rage for murder Wijeweera and Prabhakaran demonstrated, they must also be identified as cases of necrophilia. Necrophilia is a morbid and even erotic attraction to dead bodies. (If my memory serves me, nekro is the Greek for corpse.) This digression on necrophilia is necessary for us to understand the malignant aggression of the Movements inspired by Wijeweera and Prabhakaran. University students were involved in perpetrating a significant part of the violence wreaked by the JVP and LTTE. Even after the summary extermination of RW and VP by the military (unlamented by me) their influence in the university system persists to a greater or lesser degree on our campuses. Thus even though the surface of university life went on at a tolerable level of livability over the decades, stylized forms of malignant violence persisted in different campuses mainly in the form of "raging" of students by JVP activists. By and large, the university staff turned a blind eye to the covert and occasionally overt endemic violence in our campuses. Thus the reality was that a non-statutory organisation under the name of Inter-University Students’ Federation continued to call the shots and interfere with the university administration by proxy especially in the Arts Faculties. For their part, many university teachers were busily minding their own business(es) and careers. The intensity of the dogfights and bitching observable on our campuses had to do with the meanness of the available stakes for which we academics were competing.

Intellectual Freedom

In my experience there were no restrictions on my intellectual freedom at all. In the 1970s, nobody prevented me from investigating the phenomenon of fire-walking and publicly announcing that divine aid from God Kataragama is not necessary to walk a fire-bed without sustaining burns. In fact I got a grant from the university to investigate the scientific basis of ritualistic fire-walking at Kataragama. Again, I enjoyed the freedom of criticizing the government from opposition platforms as a card -carrying member of the LSSP. I was free to investigate whatever subject I wished to. I openly opposed the government policy to award the MBBS (Colombo) degree to students of the North Colombo Medical College. It is true that for this I incurred the displeasure of the authorities of the Colombo University at that time, but I survived without harassment. To be specific, when I had to flee the country in the face of the threat from the JVP after VK’s assassination, and the university authorities were slow to grant me leave of absence, President J R Jayewardene on Mr. Bernard Soysa’s intervention gave me permission by phone to leave the country. I had been openly critical of President JRJ and Mrs. Sirimavo Bandaranaike but never have they attempted to restrict my academic freedom. President Chandrika Kumaratunga with her own experience of a liberal university education, was very tolerant of university teachers. (That did not prevent her, however, from appointing some vice-chancellors contrary to the UGC’s recommendation as required by law!) I don’t know of any academic whose intellectual freedom has been curtailed by President Mahinda Rajapaksha. For many years I have concurred with the erudite political scientist Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka’s considered view that the implementation of the essence of the 13th amendment is a reasonable approach to granting legitimate political rights to our Tamil brethren. I know that this is not the official government view, but I have not incurred President Rajapaksha’s displeasure on this score. Therefore, JD to the contrary, I just cannot persuade myself that the main problem that prevents academic excellence in our universities is lack of intellectual freedom. It is true that occasionally a vice-chancellor may be guilty of trivial self-serving misdemeanor but university authorities do not penalise academics from thinking and writing on controversial issues. In this context as JD doubtless knows, in the UK which glorifies academic freedom, Cambridge dismissed Bertrand Russell from his lectureship in 1916, because the university authorities disliked his published views on World War 1.

Real Problem

So I am unable to agree with JD that what is most needed in our universities right now is intellectual freedom. I think that freedom from economic want is a greater current need; and I dare to think that a little more money will have a greater beneficial effect on academics than more intellectual freedom. Apart from freedom from want, freedom from the menace of the JVP and LTTE influence is a more relevant need for our university system. Why? Because for the JVP and LTTE violence including murder is a political strategy. They do not believe in democracy and tolerance. JD may remember a famous essay called "What is Freedom?" that BR wrote in 1952. In it he says: "…Throughout the western world, an acute question has arisen as to freedom for groups of which the purpose is to destroy freedom. Should democracy tolerate attempts to replace it by despotism? Should tolerance extend to those who advocate intolerance?..." JD admits that "it is undeniable that student politics through the activities of unions has often resulted in indiscipline, intimidation and violence perpetrated on campus". All the methods that academics have tried so far to control such violence over the decades have failed dismally. JD is firmly of the opinion that "the recent leadership programme for new university students with the involvement of the military is … counter-productive." I think it is salutary to remember that in the end it was the military which decisively eliminated the malignant violence of the JVP and the LTTE. Implementing the Universities Act No. 16 of 1978 as amended to the letter is certainly not the remedy for the current malady in the universities. Many academics profess to hate the military like poison. But as a medic who is now tired of being retired, let me remind readers of the aphorism of the great British pharmacologist William Withering propounded in 1789: "Poisons in small doses are the best medicines …"

Sumathi Sivamohan: Not ‘in a foreign tongue’

HER POETRY CONTAINS THE STORIES SHE IS DYING TO RELATE. MANY YEARS AFTER GETTING SWEPT AWAY BY THE TIDES OF INSPIRATION, SHE STILL BELIEVES IN THE MAGIC OF WORDS. DR. SUMATHY SIVAMOHAN REVEALS HER HEART TO HER READERS IN AN E-MAIL INTERVIEW WITH DAILY MIR

Q: Some of your poems are in the prescribed anthologies for those who study English at the university level. Are you satisfied with the degree of prominence given to Literature by the local education system?
Recently, I was privy to a discussion revolving around the A/level literature syllabus. Several people talked about the fact that ‘July’s People’ by Nadine Gordimer and Becket’s, Waiting for Godot and Garcia Lorca’s The House of Bernarda Alba were too difficult for students, not only in terms of language but also in theme. I was non plussed. As an A/level student, I acted as Adela in a Tamil production of the House of Bernarda Alba. I feel very strongly that we should not dumb down the students and the teachers and underestimate their capacity for complex understanding. There should be more interaction between syllabus designers and the teachers. Q: In your opinion, do people read enough poetry? What gets to be read and appreciated is something that is within the comfort zone of an English speaking middle class. If you read blogs and other writings on literature, what strikes one most is, even when the poetry or fiction is on issues like war, there is no pushing the envelope. Now if you take novels like Funny Boy, and When Memory Dies, I am quite sure, the more comforting novel, Funny Boy is more popular even among the informed readership. Though When Memory Dies is on the syllabus of the external degree for English of Jayawardenepura, teachers prefer teaching Giraya and Jam Fruit Tree rather than When Memory Dies. I think Lakdasa Wickramasinghe is overrated if you take his work as a corpus and rather problematic for the kind of enchanting feudal rural voice he tries to graft onto his poetry. But “Don’t talk to me about Matisse”, does stand out. It has the power to found a tradition. But the direction he pointed toward remains rather untrammeled. Q: When you look at Sri Lankan poets/writers who write in English, how far do you think their writing has succeeded in making an impact in people’s attitudes?
I think Jean Arasanayagam’s poetry has been taught widely, and I must say, however one sees her poetry, she was the ‘first’ within this generation to raise the ethnic conflict, war and identity as issues. Funny Boy compelled people to talk about and confront sexuality set within an interestingly decisive historical period. Jam Fruit Tree insisted on talking about the Burghers in their own right and without being apologetic. Whether these were able to dispel any of the stereotypes of the other is hard to say. I find very little about the Muslims in Sri Lankan literature except for Ameena Hussein there is not too much written from the inside about the Muslims. The best story in Zillich by Ameena is called the Muslim Girl (if I remember right). On the other hand, English literature in Sri Lanka has remained unabashedly and provincially classist. Shehan Karunatillaka’s Chinaman has received quite a lot of attention in the international arena. I think it is cleverly crafted novel and is quite engaging in sections. But it plays too much to an internet-globalist sensibility which belies its rather conservative moorings.q: Every writer has a set of conventions and principles that shape his/her writing. What moulds your poetry?
I think of myself as somebody writing across the boundaries; the boundaries of genre, the boundaries of community, the boundaries of language, the boundaries of the academe and the fascinating world outside it. It is the act of writing that is important, not the formation of the self as a poet, writer, dramatist. Language is everything. In poetry, the words, the formation, perform in an accentuated sense, in a dance of delight and sorrow; it resides in the epic. Though my poetry is not in any classical form, it is the spirit of the epic, where language becomes everything, is what fascinates me. When I was around 7, I read through Rajaji’s ‘Viyasar Virunthu,’ a simplified version of the Mahabharatha that retains its epic character; and what is so captivating about that epic is its complexity, its ambiguities about good and evil, about truth. The question of truth in Mahabharatha is so fraught. Unfortunately, colonial scholarship projected the Bhagavat Gita as the definitive text; but for me the central story of Pandavas and Kauravas and all the digressions, conjures up an exciting and yet violent world of bloodthirsty competition, gambling and womanizing princes, sexual violence and violation, sexual transgression and transvestite warriors, murder and mayhem. It is a world of physicality, quest, conquest, betrayal, loss and redemption. There is nothing very pious about the Mahabharatha I encountered in my childhood. In Ulysses, Joyce takes us through a tour of Dublin that is both magical and sordid at the same time. The act of translation brings on a kind of distancing, where language begins to perform on its own. Q: How far do the works of other writers influence your writing?

One August, everybody around me was dropping dead; they were being killed. And I felt overpowered, helpless. I wrote the ‘unfinished poem’ opening it with the line, ‘august is the cruelest month.’ And this is ironic. I had always held out against T. S. Eliot as an elitist poet. I did not consciously seek after that line of Eliot’s in the Wasteland, ‘April is the cruelest month,’ modified from Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales. I like William Blake a lot; the visionary and the tonal in Blake merge to create futuristic images. The poem about the three wheeler driver in ‘like myth and mother’ draws upon Blake’s ‘London,’ and at the same time, turns the three wheeler driver into Krishna, the charioteer. I deliberately avoided annotating these overt references Q: What is the responsibility of a Sri Lankan writer in the post war era?
I would think one responsibility of the writer in the post war era is to look back at themselves as they were in the war era. What did they do as writers and as people during the last 20-30 years? And that is important. And this does not mean that they should have been writing about the war at all. Writers and others should first forget all about writing as a self-conscious exercise and figure out what they want to be as people. Q: Today, English literature seems to be dominated by the Colombo elite. If you take a reading session, an oration or even a book festival, the chances are very low for an ordinary person to walk in and enjoy. What should be done to take literature to other parts of the country?
There is literature in other parts of the country. It is important to have a dialogue. There are some institutional and individual efforts, but I am not sure that this happens in ways that shift the locus of operation from the centre to the periphery. Q: Finally, tell us about how you started writing, what inspires you, and what are your future plans?
I am first and foremost a person. I don’t consider myself a writer so much as a person. I will get back to the poem, ‘first lesson’. I started writing when I was struggling on the blackboard to get the twists and curves of the letter E in Tamil. The watershed in my life is as thus: I lived a life of total bewilderment and yearning: the letters in books, newspapers, bottles of jam, sign posts, wherever they appeared were a total enigma. Then one day I got up from bed, opened a book and could read everything. Isn’t that magical? I still have not lost that fascination for words, the script. It is still magical. I think that’s when I started writing. Apart from Here and Now, my first feature film, which I am really excited about, I have nothing very definite. I also want to produce my play, The Wicked Witch. And of course I do look forward to the residency in India. It would be invigorating.

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Hostel facilities suspend for 160 students

 Dailymirror
The Vice Chancellor of the University of Sri Jayewardenapura had allegedly suspended the hostel facilities for 160 university students, University of Jayewardenapura Students’ Council Secretary Ven. K. Chandrananda Thera said yesterday.

The students who had been thus suspended received their letters when the university started for the new semester and the reason cited was due to a batch-trip they undertook three months ago, Ven. Chandrananda Thero said.

“If they violated a university regulation why did the Vice Chancellor take so long to act against them,” he asked.

According to Ven. Chandrananda Thera the students which included 80 females, 55 males and 25 monks were amongst the suspended.

The Vice Chancellor is infamous for undermining student union activities and he had previously suspended 62 students although this incident outweigh the previous incident.

The students have spoken to their lecturers and dean of the Humanities and Social Sciences Faculty to no avail, Ven. Chandrananda Thera said.
“Every lecturer and dean keeps telling us that it is beyond their control and these students have to sort out matters directly with the Vice Chancellor as it was his free will to suspend them,” he added.

The students belonging to different faculties go on trips at the end of the year and that was a normal practice since they incur no expense to the university, Ven. Chandrananda Thera said. (Sumaiya Rizvi)