Medical Supplies Management Technical System (MSMTS) of the Ministry of Health has become a white elephant

Sri Lanka Health Services Trade Union Alliance (HSTUA)says that the Medical Supplies Management Technical System (MSMTS) of the Ministry of Health has become a white elephant.

The allocations of Rs. 400 million for this project has wasted, the Chairman of the HSTUA Saman Rathnapriya points out.

The Ministry of Health introduced this system as a solution for corruption and waste in medical supplies.

The online system was developed in 2009 by e-Wis Company at an initial cost of Rs. 320 million. The company has used a proto system of Australia instead of customizing it to the country needs, the HSTUA accuses.

Additional Rs. 80 million  was later granted to further develop the system but it still remained beta, the trade union alliance points out.

HSTUA Chairman Saman Rathnapriya said that only one store of the 26 stores of the Medical Supplies Department has been fully connected to the system.

Further, the State Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Corporation has also failed to enter its basic data to the system.

What a country do we live: HIV father rapes daughter infecting her with HIV

Sri Lanka police children's and women's bureau has arrested an AIDS patient for seducing his underage daughter and spreading the deadly decease to the girl.

The man, a mason by profession, is a 40 year old father of three children. He has raped his own daughter who is 16 years old two times in 2013 when her mother was not at home.

The mother is also HIV positive. The couple was taking medicine from the Colombo National Hospital without informing the children.

The girl had rash on her body and the suspicious girl visited hospital. She was tested HIV positive.

The suspect has been arrested at his house in Negambo and he is to be produced in court for rape of a minor.

Graphic warning on cigarette packets delayed further in Sri Lanka

The graphic warnings on cigarette packets sold in Sri Lanka further delayed as the Ceylon Tobacco Company (CTC) announced that the old cartons would be further used until the Supreme Court verdict on the appeal of graphic warning case is delivered.

The Ministry of Health has also informed the Supreme Court the graphic warning law would be imposed after the verdict on the CTC appeal on graphic warning is delivered.

The Court of Appeal ordered to cover 60% of the surface of cigarette packets with graphic warnings.

The law was to be implemented since today, July 01, but the CTC appealed in the Supreme Court against the appellate court verdict.

The petition of the CTC is to be heard on July 11 and the verdict is also expected on that day.

Alcohol and Drug Information Center (ADIC) of Sri Lanka pointed out that the cigarette sales in the island had dropped to 4200 million units in 2012 to 4800 million in 1994.

The center further said that the sale of cigarette had dropped by 14% in the first quarter of 2013 compared to the first quarter of 2014.

New York Times editorial reflects sentiments of international community about communal violence in Sri Lanka

New York Times has published an Editorial on Sri Lanka's latest and bloodiest communal violence in the recent past that took place in Beruwala and Matugama electorates against Muslims. Read the New York Times editorial here.

The editorial identifies the ultranationalist Bodu Bala Sena as a force linked to the governing Rajapaksa family and the security forces.

The editorial perhaps said this with tongue in the cheek. "Among other things, the violence threatens Sri Lanka’s recovering tourism industry and business development directly tied to members of his family."

"Mr. Rajapaksa’s statements on Monday directing the police to act against any individual or group fomenting ethnic or religious hatred are welcome. But the president did not repudiate the Bodu Bala Sena by name. He should move immediately to allow the independent investigation called for by the United Nations; accept the technical assistance offered by the council to address human rights concerns; and put in place the recommendations of Sri Lanka’s own Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission for dealing with the aftermath of the civil war," the editorial further said. 

Hail Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, but prevention is better than cure

Today's The Island newspaper reported in its lead news that the government had decided to rebuild the property in Beruwala electorate damaged in communal violence mid June.

According to reports, the government has allocated Rs. 200 million public money for this and Army is to provide labor free of charge.

Yesterday's reports said that the Army had already stationed in Aluthgama to start work today. 

Here are some interesting excerpts from The Island story:

"Racial violence would only strengthen the hands of those conspirators who had been pushing for war crimes probe targeting the country, he added.

Anyone with an iota of love for the country, wouldn’t attack another community, the Defence Secretary said..................

......................... "Give me just one reason why we should cause chaos as the country is heading for national elections. Having won every election, except the first Northern Provincial Council polls last September, there is absolutely no reason for the government to dig its own grave," the Defence Secretary said. "Give me one reason why the government wants to antagonize its coalition partners." 

In fact, the Defense Secretaries views are laudable although they came late. He must know that the racists that incited communal disharmony at Aluthgama have used his name to cover. Media alleged that the Defense Secretary was behind them. Be it right or wrong, the Bodu Bala Sena manipulates it for its safety. No action seems pending against the organization despite loads of complaints against it about hate speech and violence.

Ruling a country is not only trying to remedy the problems after they worsened, perhaps thanks to pressure. Wise politicians stem problems at the root. Prevention is better than cure.

The Rs. 200 million hard earned public money could be used to improve infrastructure in these areas if mobs had failed. Unfortunately, the racists were successful.

Interesting turns of events in Sri Lanka in post-Dharaga Town time

In  press conference held yesterday but not covered widely by the local media, Ven. Galagodaaththe Gnanasara Thero, the secretary of Sri Lanka's Buddhist extremist Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) said that they had stopped and urged the Muslim extremists also to stop.

He demanded the Sinhala Buddhists not to be misled by rumors since the clashes only benefited the elements that are against the nation.

The vociferous Buddhist monk rejected BBS having any connections with communal violence in Beruwala electorate and other places and said that the controversial rally in Aluthgama town was not organized by them but the Shasanarakshaka Balamandala of the area.

He pointed out that he used psychological tactics in his fiery speech and at the tail end of it urged the people to disperse and not to demonstrate across Dharga Town.

But in his speech, Gnanasara Thero says the Moors would see their end if they set their hands on any Sinhalese and the shops in the are would be vandalized.

Gnanasara Thero rejected allegations that the BBS was handled by Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa. He said the BBS had not carried out anybody's contracts. 

Meanwhile, police spokesman SSP Ajith Rohana said that the police would not grant permission to hold rallies that incite racial or religious hatred.

He said that the intelligence wings would be deployed to study the meetings and the organizers of such rallies would be dealt legally.

Meanwhile, the police spokesman further said that the police that is investigating the burning of Nolimit fashion store in Panadura has found a hard disk in which the recordings of CCTV cameras are recorded.

The hard disk has been sent to Moratuwa University for recovering files. Police said that the premises had had 24 CCTV cameras around it. 

In another turn of events anti-Bodu Bala Sena Buddhist monk Watareka Vijitha Thero was accused of committing the injuries to himself to show that he was abducted and tortured.

The monk was found several days ago fallen near a river in Panadura area with minor injuries in the private areas of his body, hands and legs bound with pieces of his own robe.

The Buddhist monk was admitted to national hospital and the police investigated the incident. Judicial Medical examinations have proved that the monk had inflicted injuries to himself with a key.

SSP Ajith Rohana said that the monk had obtained the services of one of his cousins to have him transported to the place where he was found fallen.

The cousin has admitted that he transported the Thero into that area on the request of the monk.

The police spokesman said that the monk would be produced in court and sued over lodging a false complaint.

No limit to anti-Muslim attacks in Sri Lanka. Nolimit fashion store in Panadura set ablaze

now

Then

 

I visited the Nolimit fashion store in Panadura two months ago. It was a beautiful and cosy place. I thought the sophisticated shop could be another high priced premise but it was not so much like that. I bought a nice and unique leather belt from them for Rs. 1200.

A friend of mine that lives in Panadura told me that the other clothing businessman were jealous of Nolimit since it attracted the city fashion goers with its ultra modern facilities like ample parking space and electric elevators. I have never stopped in Panadura to by clothes before Nolimit was opened and definitely it attracted visitors from outside.

However, this Nolimit fashion store was set ablaze early hours this morning. The reason is nothing but it belonged to Muslims. Buddhist terrorists are suspected for the carnage. The government will not act against them as it has not acted so far.

Unlike the comparatively smaller businesses in Dharga Town, this network of clothing stores must be insured. Who owns the insurance company? Are they too Muslims?