Sri Lankan eye surgeons reject the lenses supplied by the government for cataract surgeries at public hospitals

Sri Lanka Ministry of Health sources say that the low income group patients suffer at the government hospitals since the doctors discourage the patients to use the medical equipment and services provided free of charge to the patients free of charge.

This practice is common in many of the government hospitals. The doctors often direct the patients to obtain laboratory reports from private laboratories claiming that the reports provided by the government hospital labs cannot be trusted.

However, the cause for the low quality of the medical equipment and services supplied by the government hospitals can be identified as the commissions related to purchasing and  drawbacks in management. The same employees work in both government and private labs in most cases. They work full time in public hospitals and part time in private hospitals. The services they deliver at private hospitals are considered better even though the laboratory conditions have no very wide differences.

Privatization has penetrated the public service in a way the public health services are underrated by the public employees themselves who are in connivance with the private sector.

In one of the latest reports, state owned The Dinamina Sinhala daily reported that some government hospital eye surgeons reject to use the lenses provided by the hospital free of charge in cataract surgeries. They reportedly insist the patients to buy a lens produced by a certain company. The newspaper said that the government service eye surgeons were earning a fat commission of 51% from the lens which is sold at Rs. 20,000 whilst its actual value is Rs. 8000.

However, the patients say that they cannot reject the quality issues of the doctors raise about the lenses supplied by the public hospitals. After all it is their eye, they say, which they do not want to risk to test the quality of the state acquisitions.

It is default that the people suspect the products and services supplied by the public sector due to corruption in tender processes through which politicians and officials earn exorbitant commissions. 

Lupita Nyong'o - beauty re-defined in black

Lupita Nyong'o was born in Mexico. Her parents were Kenyan. She was raised in Kenya and educated in the USA. Lupita's film debut was playing "Patsey" in acclaimed director, Steve McQueen's 12 Years a Slave (2013) for which she won Oscar Awards.

The pitch black beauty speaks of dreaming to have a fairer skin years before the world acclaimed her. It is very inspiring.

A Sri Lankan entrepreneur dreaming to build a network of theaters

A Sri Lankan entrepreneur said that the plans are underway to establish 60 mini theaters in 30 towns in Sri Lanka to enhance the cinema industry of the country.

The entrepreneur is Dr. Arosha Fernando, a Sri Lankan professional who has given up his career in Australia to engage in the cinema industry in his home country.

He said to Rasanduna supplement of the state owned Sunday newspaper The Silumina that the President has focused to his proposal.

He said that the theaters in Sri Lanka has problems. 

Dr. Arosha Fernando has already produced seven Sinhala movies and at present he is discussing with renowned cinematographer Prasanna Vithanage to produce a new a film. He says his ambition is to produce at least two movies annually.

He says he faced lot of difficulties when distributing his initial productions.

Big companies have large circuits of theaters and sometimes well marketed movies are also removed to pave way for the screening of their productions. They often continue showing of their movies in these halls despite while other producers find it difficult to get halls to show their movies.

Links to 85,000 newsreels of British British Pathé

Seems worth to share this information:

The world's finest news and entertainment video film archive.

Since the invention of the moving image in the 1890's, British Pathé began recording every aspect of global culture and news, for the cinema. With their unique combination of information and entertainment, British Pathé's documentaries, newsreels, serials and films changed the way the world saw itself forever.
With it's unparalleled collection of historical events and vast catalogue of changing social activity, British Pathé encompasses one of the world's most prodigious and fascinating documents of the modern age. From fashion to warfare and sport to travel, British Pathé is the definitive source for the 20th century in moving images.

All 85,000 newsreels are now searchable and viewable on YouTube. This equates to 3,500 hours of filmed history.

Our YouTube channel includes some of the public's favourite clips, rare and amusing pieces to share and footage related to big days throughout the year

Visit https://www.youtube.com/user/britishpathe

Sri Lanka to brief the foreign diplomats about banning of Tamil Diaspora organizations

Sri Lanka government has decided to make aware the foreign diplomats in Colombo about the government's recent decision to ban 16 organizations linked to Tamil Diaspora.

Accordingly, the Minister of External Affairs Prof. G.L. Pieris will meet the foreign ambassadors and High Commissioners based in Colombo on Thursday (April 24) this week.

The Ministry of Defense and Urban Development will also join the Ministry of External Affairs in this awareness programme.

On April 01, Sri Lanka government signed the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1373, which sets out strategies to combat terrorism and to control terrorist financing. Immediately after signing the Resolution 1373, the Sri Lankan government banned Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and 15 other Tamil diaspora groups including Trans National Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE) headed by New York lawyer Visuvanathan Ruthirakumaran, Global Tamil Forum (GTF), which is headed by Fr.SJ Emmanuel and active in Europe, and the UK-based British Tamil Forum (BTF) that are alleged of having terror links.

Who attacked the opposition MPs of Sri Lanka at Rajapaksa's inefficient harbor and airport?

A speaking photo of MP Eran Wickramarathna at empty airport taken by MP Ajith P. Perera

Sri Lanka police media spokesman Ajith Rohana, SSP, said that an investigation is underway regarding if there was any drawback from the side of police at yesterday's incident of a mob attacking a group of MPs of the major opposition United National Pary (UNP) at Mattala airport and Hambanthota harbor.

The police media spokesman said that two police officers each of the VIP security had been deployed in the security of the MPs and they should have informed the relevant police station in case of any security issue of the MPs. However, they had not informed so, he added.

Police media spokesman said to Derana TV yesterday that the MPs had not sought security from police in their visit to the airport and harbor which had been criticized by the opposition for alleged inefficiency and malpractices.

However, MP Ajith P. Perera said to media yesterday that the MPs had informed the Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of Southern Province about the situation.Derana TV showed a police vehicle driven ignoring MPs' plea to provide them with safety.

A violent mob attacked a group of Sri Lanka's major opposition United National Party (UNP) MPs today as they visited the newly built Hambanthota port and Mattala international airport.The attacks and manhandling of the members of the legislature were videoed and aired by private TV channels this evening. Footage showed police inactive whilst the attack.

A photo carried in media showed a gun wielding Mayor of Hambanthota Eraj Vernando running into the violent scene.  

Some of the other persons who attacked the MPs are said to be the lumpen cohorts of the politicians who had been given jobs without proper work to do in return to their service at elections. Some others are the contractors, service providers and vendors who profit from the loss making ventures which have almost no business.

The group of MPs led by UNP MP Ajith P. Perera visited the development projects in down south today under an invitation from the government, as they said. The MP said that they had due permission from the Minister of Civil Aviation Priyankara Jayarathna.

The MPs were threatened by thugs that claimed to be defendants of the ventures. One person who claimed to be a person who wanted to safeguard the airport said that the MPs could see that three flights were landed in the so called international airport today. The MPs were jeered by mobs and they were attacked with rotten eggs and stones as they left the site due to troubles. The bus that was carrying the MPs and the media persons was damaged slightly.

MP Ajith P. Perera said to media that it was a very pathetic situation that the MPs were denied access to the public enterprises. He said that the MPs had informed the Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of Southern Province about the situation.

Not only Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) but United National Party (UNP) also in Terrorism Research and Analysis Consortium (TRAC) list of terrorist groups

Terrorism Research and Analysis Consortium (TRAC) has named Sri Lanka's Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) as a terrorist organization.

This is the link to the TRAC page of BBS.

TRAC has listed about 3,800 groups known to aid and abet political violence or terrorist organizations including Al-Qaeda and the LTTE, Colombo Page website mentioned .

Interestingly, the organization has named major opposition United National Party (UNP) as an inactive terrorist group that has used  Assassinations as a Terrorist Tactic and Bombings. Definitely, a very accurate recognition.

No doubt, People's Liberation Front (JVP) and some other political parties like Tamil People's Liberation Tigers (TMVP) are also listed in this website due to their violent past despite they are in democratic mainstream now.